An Unexpected Adventure
by TheLycanKing
Summary: After the destruction of the Other Side, Bonnie and Damon believe that they moved on to Paradise, but it turns out that they have been resurrected and transported to another world in the universe. They find themselves in Middle-Earth and try to find their way back home to their world.
1. Chapter 1

"BONNIE! BONNIE!" Jeremy screaming Bonnie's name over and over again as he runs through the woods. Elena Gilbert, Alaric Saltzman, Jenna Sommers, Stefan Salvatore, Caroline Forbes, Tyler Lockwood, Mason Lockwood, Jules, Brady, Stevie, Alexia Branson, Bree, John, Joey, Vicki Donovan, Benjamin McKittrick, Anna Zhu, Pearl Zhu, Harper, Henry, Billy, Maria, Julian, Greta Martin, Jonas Martin, Luka Martin, Rose-Marie, Trevor, Slater, Tom Avery, Katerina Petrova, Nadia Petrova, Jesse, Mia, Gregor, Will, Mary Porter, Kol Mikaelson, Aja & her coven, Ray, Paige, Mindy, Tony, Daniel, Kimberley, Nate, Dean, Chris, Adrian, Chris, Dwayne, and the rest of the hybrids that were created and sired by Klaus, try to sort out what's going on.

"What's going on?" Tyler asked.

"I don't know." Vicki answered and looks around the graveyard. "Where's Bonnie?"

"BONNIE! BONNIE! BONNIE!" Jeremy continued to scream for Bonnie until he sees her standing across the graveyard, but before he can reach her, the Other Side's disintegration comes to a head.

Bonnie watches as huge holes of light poke through to the other side, while the winds blow all around her and Damon.

"This place is going down, isn't it?" Damon asked, observing the Other Side's destruction.

"It is." Bonnie replied. "I'm sure there are a million people we'd rather be with right now, but…" She takes Damon's hand and their fingers entwine.

"A couple thousand, at most." Damon jested.

The two continue to hold hands and watch as a huge orb of light rips through the tree-tops.

"Do you think it'll hurt?" Bonnie asked when the fabric of reality itself starts to shatter, leaving nothing but light.

Before Damon could say anything, the light engulfs them both.

After the Other Side was finally destroyed, Bonnie and Damon are now found sleeping in a forest that surrounds them. Bonnie slowly wakes up and makes a slight smile. She turns to look over at Damon who was still sleeping. She shakes him a few times which woke him up.

"Are we here?" Damon asked with a groan.

"I believe so." Bonnie regarded.

Damon took time to get up and looked around. "Well, we should be running into someone right now."

"Like who?" Bonnie asked.

"Hmm, maybe my dad… or your daddy." Damon smirked.

"Come on, let's go look around you." Bonnie gestured as she stands up. "Let's have a look around."

"Right behind you." Damon replied.

Bonnie and Damon wonder across the woods. Bonnie trips to the ground and the most shocking thing that she saw was, her arm was bleeding a bit.

"Bonnie, your arm is bleeding." Damon said, when he noticed that.

"How can it be bleeding?" Bonnie asked, looking confused. "We're dead. Ghosts can't bleed…" She paused for a moment. "Unless if we're… alive."

"I can feel your heart beating." Damon specified.

"Wait, if you can hear my heart beating, then that means…" Bonnie paused.

"We're alive." Damon answered. "Well, your back to been a Witch, and I'm still a bloodsucking vampire."

"Well, if your still a vampire, then maybe I should ask you to heal my arm." Bonnie insisted.

"Right away Miss Bonnie." Damon mimicked the voice of a servant boy. He bites his wrist and feeds her his blood to heal the cut.

After she finished, Damon and Bonnie continue until they stumble across an open path. Then, they hear the sound of trotting. It was the trotting of a horse which nearer to them. Before Bonnie and Damon could move away, the horse stopped in front of them. Bonnie and Damon glanced at a man with a long gray beard, a pointy hat, and gray cloak sitting atop the horse.

"Are you two lost?" The bearded man asked them.

"Uh, yeah." Damon answered.

"Can you tell us where we are?" Bonnie asked.

"Your in the Shire, homeland of the Hobbits." The Man replied.

"What?" Bonnie asked, looking puzzled. "Is that a country?"

"Well of course it is." The man chuckled a bit. "Are you two one of the Bree-folk?"

Bonnie and Damon exchange looks.

"Bree-folk?" Damon asked, looking very confused since the man's words didn't make sense.

"We're not really Bree-folk." Bonnie replied. "We come from Mystic Falls."

The man looked very puzzled as well on what Bonnie said.

"I don't think he knows anything about that place." Damon said.

"No, indeed." The man continued.

"Okay, we're going to ask you two simple questions." Damon said. "Where are we?"

"Your in Arda, one of the first living worlds that were made in the whole universe." The man answered.

Bonnie and Damon didn't like the sound of that since they come from the planet Earth.

"And you are?" Damon asked again to the bearded man.

"I am Gandalf." Gandalf replied. "Gandalf the Grey."

"Its a… pleasure to meet you." Bonnie smiled.

"The pleasure is mine." Gandalf smiled back at her. "Now who might you two be?"

"I'm Bonnie Bennett, and this is my friend Damon Salvatore." Bonnie introduced herself to her and Damon. "We come from a different world in the universe. Somehow, we got ourselves… transported here, and we don't know how to get back. Can you help us?"

"What is the name of your world?" Gandalf asked them.

"The planet Earth." Damon corrected.

"Well… of course I will help you two." Gandalf nodded in delight. "But right now, I have some official business."

"What kind of business?" Bonnie asked.

"I suppose to meet up with a company of Dwarves here in the Shire." Gandalf explained. "I've been trying to invite some of the Bree-folk to assist in this business, but I couldn't trust any of them. But since you two don't come from Bree or any other place in the continental part of Middle-earth, then maybe I can invite you two to serve in this business."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Damon replied. "I'm not interested in doing this business in stuff. What I'm interested in is getting back to Earth so I can see throw my arms to the girl I love."

"Damon, this might be our only chance." Bonnie urged him. "Let's just do this so we can get back home."

"Fine." Damon groaned.

Bonnie turned to Gandalf. "Damon and I would be glad to support your business."

"As long as you promise to get us back." Damon said.

"So be it." Gandalf nodded his head slightly in remark. "The two of will head the way I came. Follow the path, and you'll find a sign that will take you two straightly to Hobbiton."

"Where can be meet you?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, its complicated." Gandalf said. "Once your there, you will find a blue-shining mark that I left on one of the hobbit holes. That will be the meeting place for all of us."

"Oh don't worry." Damon said sarcastically. "We're not going to get lost. I'm sure we'll find our way."

"Excellent. I'll see you two later tonight." Gandalf assured them and rides away.


	2. Chapter 2

Bonnie and Damon made it to the Shire, which was described as a beautiful, greenish place that they never saw before. While there, they saw dozens of Hobbits that were wandering through Hobbiton. However, nearly all the Hobbits around town began to stare at Bonnie and Damon.

"Okay, talk about been creepy." Damon whispered next to Bonnie while walking.

"I think its our clothes." Bonnie indicated.

"You know, I can compel them to mind their own business." Damon suggested.

"Don't, let's just find that damn mark that Gandalf mentioned, and we'll be on our way." Bonnie said.

"Yeah, but that's the thing." Damon pointed something out. "Which house is it?"

"Well, it's been a while since I haven't used my powers since I became the Anchor to the Other Side." Bonnie pointed out.

"And the time when you dropped the Veil." Damon added.

"Silas brainwashed me, and let's just say he had the power to get into everyone's head as he wished." Bonnie added that as well.

"Cut to the chase, let's just find that mark since the sun is setting." Damon gestured at the beautiful sunset.

Nighttime has come, and Bonnie and Damon have been spending at least a few hours in trying to find the mark until they finally spotted it.

"Is that the mark?" Bonnie asked, pointing at the faint blue mark on a large, green-colored round door.

"We're about to find out." Damon said as he knocked on the door three times.

"Let's just hope we're not late for this." Bonnie expected.

A minute later, the door opened to reveal a hobbit.

"Hi!" Bonnie smiled.

"Good evening." The hobbit looked surprised and quickly tied his robe tighter and stands taller. "Um… can I help you."

"You can help us by inviting us in." Damon said, using his compulsion on him.

The hobbit didn't hesitate. "Come in."

Bonnie and Damon immediately enter the house, and couldn't imagine how nice the house was, but since they were tall then hobbits, they could easily touch the ceiling.

"This is a nice house." Bonnie said, looking in awe.

"Wait a minute." The hobbit said. "I invited you in. I wasn't suppose to invite you in because I don't know you."

Damon walks over to the hobbit and kneels down to compel him again. "Do you know Gandalf?"

"Yes." The hobbit replied under his compulsion. "I saw him today, and he was planning on taking me on an adventure, but I refused. Why are you asking me this?"

"Forget we had this conversation." Damon continued to compel him. "You just invited us in, and we're your guests."

"Of course." The hobbit nodded.

"As a matter of fact, what's your name?" Damon asked with a smirk.

"I'm Bilbo Baggins of Bag End." Bilbo answered.

Suddenly, the three hear the doorbell ring. Bilbo walks over to the door and finds a tall, bald dwarf on his doorstep.

The dwarf greets him and bows slightly. "Dwalin, at your service."

Shellshocked, Bilbo lets out a noise like a whimper. "Bilbo Baggins, at yours." Immediately, Dwalin walks inside without an invitation until Bilbo asked. "D-do we know each other?"

"No." Dwalin answered.

"Well, if you don't me, then why are you entering my house without an invitation?" Bilbo asked.

Dwalin ignored him and threw his coat to Bonnie. "So which way, laddie? Is it down here?" He asked.

I-is what down where?" Bilbo asked.

"Supper." Dwalin replied. "He said there'd be food, and lots of it."

"H-He said?" Bilbo asked, looking a bit puzzled. "Who said?"

Damon walked over to Bilbo to compel him, but Bonnie gently places her hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

A half an hour later, Dwalin, Damon, and Bonnie are sitting down together at the kitchen table. Bonnie was eating a piece of bread that Bilbo passed over. Damon was drinking a cup of ale that he liked while Dwalin was busy eating Bilbo's dinner that he made for himself. Bilbo sits behind the hungry dwarf who was busy eating all the flesh from the fish, then eats the head as well.

"Mmmm… very good this. Anymore?" Dwalin asked.

"What? Uh, oh, yes, yes." Bilbo said as he brings over a plate of biscuits. Bonnie widened her eyes when the dwarf began stuffing them in his mouth.

"Excuse me, but don't know any manners?" Bonnie asked him.

Dwalin ignored her since he was busy enjoying his meal.

"Mmmm. It's just that, um, I wasn't expecting any company." Bilbo stated.

A split second, the bell rings again, and Bilbo looks up in alarm.

"That'll be the door." Dwalin said.

"I'll get it." Bonnie said as she gets up and walks over to the door while Bilbo follows her. Bonnie opens the door and finds an old, white-haired dwarg waiting.

The dwarf smiled and made a bow to her and Bilbo. "Balin, at your service." He greeted happily.

"Good evening." Bonnie smiled.

"Yes, yes it is." Balin remarked. "So I think it might rain later. "Am I late?"

"Late for what?" Bilbo asked.

Balin turns to face Dwalin, who is trying to get more biscuits from Bilbo's jar. "Oh, ha ha! Evening brother. Heh, heh."

"Oh, by my beard, you are shorter and wider than last we met." Dwalin chuckled as he described Balin's difference.

"Wider, not shorter." Balin corrected. "Sharp enough for both of us."

As the two laugh, they greet each other amicably. They put their arms on each other's shoulders, and smash their heads together while Bilbo, Bonnie, and Damon stare at them in wonder.

"Uh, excuse me; sorry, I hate to interrupt, ah, but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." Bilbo told them as the Balin and Dwalin laugh at each other. "It's not that I don't like visitors; I-I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit, but I do like to know them before they come visiting. The thing is, um, I, I don't know either of you, not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I uh, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry."

The two dwarves pause and look at Bilbo.

"Apology accepted." Balin smiled. "Come, let's get everything prepared for tonight."

Suddenly, the doorbell rings again, and this time Bilbo opens it. Just as he did, he finds two young dwarves. Upon seeing them, Bilbo makes a small noise which sounded like a moan. Bonnie saw how young and attractive they were.

"Fili." Fili greeted.

"Kili." Kili greeted as well.

"At your service." The two young dwarves spoke together.

"You must be Mr. Boggins." Kili smiled.

"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house." Bilbo lied as he tried to close the door, but Kili stops it with his foot.

"What? Has it been cancelled?" Kili asked.

Before Bilbo could speak, Bonnie spoke out. "Nothing's been cancelled. Um, you can come in." She said shyly to Kili.

"Really? Well, that's a relief." Kili smiled in remark.

The brothers push their way in and begin unloading their stuff onto Bilbo.

"Careful with these, I just had 'em sharpened." Fili explained as he passed over his swords.

"It's nice, this place." Kili remarked while looking around Bilbo's house. "Did you do it yourself?"

"Ah, no, it's been in the family for years." Bilbo explained until he caught Kili scraping the mud off his boots on the edge of a chest standing nearby. "That's my mother's glory box, can you please not do that!"

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand." Dwalin gestured the brothers.

"Mister Dwalin." Kili remarked on Dwalin's appearance. "It's wonderful see you again."

"Let's shove this in the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in." Balin said.

"Where do you want this?" Bonnie asked.

Bonnie and Damon help the Dwarves prepare to shift Bilbo's furniture around to create a meeting place.

"Wait a minute, did you say everyone?" Bilbo exclaimed and asked. "How many more are there?"

Suddenly, the doorbell rings very hard and longer than before.

"Oh no. No, no! There's nobody home. Go away, and bother somebody else." Bilbo shouted angerily as he walks quickly toward the door, dumping all the swords and other equipment in his arms along the way. "There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If- if- If this is some clotterd's idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say, it is in a very poor taste."

Bilbo opens the door, and an entire heap of dwarves, eight to be exact, fall in. Struggling to get up, they grumble and yell at each other. From behind them, Gandalf appears and grins.

"Gandalf." Bonnie said, sounding relieved and happy. "Your here."

"Ah, Bonnie… and Damon." Gandalf grinned. "I'm surprised that you two made it."

"So what's next?" Damon asked.

"We eat and celebrate." Gandalf announced.

"Eat… and celebrate." Bilbo stunned. "Gandalf, I did not orchestrate a party filled with Dwarves."

The entire group of dwarves, 12 of them, begin raiding Bilbo's pantry and taking out all his food. Bonnie and Damon were busy getting everything ready for the feast while Bilbo tries to tell everyone to put everything back in his pantry, but they ignore him.

"Those are my plates! Excuse me! Not my wine." Bilbo exclaimed. "Put that back. Put that back! Not the jam, please! ...Excuse me."

Bonnie turns to stare at Bombur as the fat dwarf walks out of the pantry with three wheels of cheese. "Do you need a cheese knife?" She asked the fat dwarf.

"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." Bofur said to her.

"Really?" Bonnie asked when her eyes widened.

Oin and Gloin walk through the hall carrying chairs from one of Bilbo's rooms.

"No, no, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair!" Bilbo said. "No, I'm sorry, you'll have to take it back please. Take it back...It's antique, not for sitting on! Thank you! That's a book, not a coaster. Put that map down, thank you."

"I cannot hear what you're saying!" Oin said.

The dwarves continue bringing all of Bilbo's food and furniture into the dining room. Dori approaches Bonnie with a tray and some tea.

"Excuse me, miss, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?" Dori asked.

"Oh, don't mind if I do." Bonnie said.

Dori passes a cup to her and she takes a sip. She sees Gandalf walking out of the dining room, trying to avoid the scurrying dwarves. He hits his head on the chandelier, then he begins counting the dwarves on his fingers while Bilbo wrestles a bowl of tomatoes away from Nori. Bifur, the dwarf with an axe on his forehead, approaches Gandalf and talks to him in Khuzdul and with body motions.

"Yes, you're quite right Bifur." Gandalf understood Bifur's language. "We appear to be one dwarf short."

"Who's missing?" Damon asked.

"The leader of our company." Gandalf answered. "It appears he is late."

"He is always late." Dwalin said. "He travelled North to a meeting with our kin. He will come."

Meanwhile, Bonnie, Damon, Gandalf, and the Dwarves are sitting in Bilbo's dining room where they were all having a great feast with all of Bilbo's food.

"They are quite rude and messy." Bonnie observed the dwarves.

"Hmm, well I'm considered to be rude and messy." Damon jested.

"Whatever." Bonnie said, rolling her eyes.

As everyone begins throwing food around, Bilbo walks away in disgust. He looks at his pantry in shock; it has been entirely cleared of food. Fili walks on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way. Dwalin pours his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin splutters in anger, everyone else laughs. Oin puts his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blows the ale out of it, making it squeal. Then, the dwarves pound their tankards together and they all go quiet and begin drinking their ale together. They are incredibly messy, as ale falls all over their faces and runs down their beards. When finished drinking, they begin burping; the youngest, Ori, lets out the biggest burp. Bonnie saw how disgusted Bilbo was since all the food that he kept in the pantry were gone.

When the meal finishes, the dwarves leave the table and begin walking about. Bilbo grabs a doily back from Nori. "Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!" He exclaimed.

"But it's full of holes!" Bofur protested.

"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet." Bilbo continued.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it." Bofur joked.

"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" Bilbo said, irritated.

"Hey, are you alright?" Bonnie asked the angry hobbit.

"No, I'm not." Bilbo angrily said as he walked out of the kitchen in disgust. "I'm surrounded by dwarves that have just invaded my house."

"Hey, it's okay, maybe you should try and get to know them." Bonnie suggested. "Like get use to them or something."

"I don't want to know them or get used to them." Bilbo quietly declined angrily without anyone hearing. "Look what they've done to my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pi-pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!"

Ori, the youngest dwarf of the Company, approached to Bilbo. "Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" He asked.

"Here you go, Ori, give it to me." Fili said as he takes the plate from Ori and throws it to Kili, who throws it behind his back to Bifur, who is standing at the sink in the kitchen. Bifur catches it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves begin throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to the sink to be washed. As dishware flies through the air, Damon ducks to avoid getting hit.

"Excuse me, that's my mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo shouted until he saw the dwarves at the tablet begin rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists. "And can you not do that? You'll blunt them!"

"Ooh, d'hear that, lads?" Bofur asked surprisingly. "He says we'll blunt the knives."

"I think the little fella needs little cheering up." Damon smirked at the angry hobbit.

Kili begins singing and the other dwarves join him, as they continue throwing the dishware.

"_Blunt the knives, bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth and tread on the fat_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_When you've finished, if any are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"_

Bilbo huffs up in anger, only to find all the dishes stacked neatly and cleanly while Bonnie, Damon, Gandalf, and the dwarves laugh. Suddenly, they hear three loud knocks on the door, and everyone falls silent.

"He's here." Gandalf murmured.

Bilbo went to answer the door while Bonnie and Damon stood off the side and the dwarves crowded on one side of the room. As Bilbo opens the door, there stands another dwarf.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." The dwarf greeted the wizard.

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo exclaimed.

"There is a mark; I put it there myself." Gandalf said. "Bilbo, Bonnie, and Damon; allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin approached to the hobbit first. "So, this is the Hobbit." He said while circling around Bilbo. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asked.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin asked.

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo said.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin commented until he finally turned to face Bonnie and Damon. "Gandalf, you never told me that you were bringing two human companions."

"Well it's complicated." Gandalf said, taking time to explain. "I was on an official business in trying to gather Men to serve in our company. However, the Bree-folk are hard to trust these days, so I decided to invite these two to join at our request."

"Well, if these two aren't from Bree, then which nation in Middle-earth do they come from?" Thorin asked.

"It's a long story." Bonnie said.

"How well can you two fight?" Thorin asked them.

"Uh, I fought in many battles." Damon replied with a smirk on his face. "Bloody battles."

"Um… yes… I fought beside him." Bonnie lied with a smile.

"Well enough." Thorin replied.

Meanwhile, as Thorin eats, Bonnie and Damon sit between him. Gandalf is also seen sitting to Bonnie.

"So what news from the meeting in Ered Luin?" Balin asked. "Did they all come?"

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin answered softly.

The dwarves murmur their joy.

"What do the dwarves from the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin asked. "Is Dain with us?"

Thorin took time to speak and sighed. "They will not come." He said and the dwarves murmur in disappointment. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bonnie asked. "To where?"

Gandalf turns to Bilbo. "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." He said. Bilbo complied and brought in a candle to the table where Gandalf spreads out a map which was in his pocket. "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

Damon stares at the map. "The Lonely Mountain." He read the name on the map. "Let me guess, is that where we're going? To a mountain?"

"Would it be possible if any of you can provide details about this quest?" Bonnie asked.

"You and Damon will receive as much information as soon as possible." Gandalf promised.

"Okay." Bonnie murmured to herself.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin announced.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold." Oin reported. "When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

Bonnie, Bilbo, and Damon looked concerned.

"Uh, what beast?" Bonnie asked.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur explained to her. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals…"

"Yes, I think we know what it is that your talking about." Damon interrupted his conversation. "Your talking about a fire-breathing dragon. Am I leaving anything out?"

"No, no, I think you already solved the puzzle Master Salvatore." Gandalf said.

"Well I'm not afraid!" Ori shouted as he stood up. "I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie."

"Sit down!" Dori implored.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just fifteen." Balin stated. "It's not going to be enough."

"What did he say?" Oin asked.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" Fili exclaimed.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf was able to slay hundreds of dragons in his time." Kili spoke excitedly.

"You killed dragons before?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, for an old man like him, I'm surprised he's strong to face against dragons of terror." Damon jested.

"Well… that's a bit of a long story." Gandalf said while smoking his weed pipe.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Bonnie asked.

Gandalf embarrassedly starts coughing on his pipe smoke.

"Go on, give us a number!" Dori demanded.

The dwarves jump to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf had killed before during the Third Age of this world.

Thorin jumps up in anger. "Shazara!" (_Silence!_) He bellowed in Khuzdul. Then he spoke back in English. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?" Then he speaks again in Khuzdul. "Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!" (_To arms! To arms!_)

All the dwarves cheer.

"You forget, the front gate is sealed." Balin informed them. "There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf said as the wizard produced a dwarfish key, ornately wrought. Bonnie, Damon, and Thorin look at it in wonder.

"That's a nice looking key." Damon remarked.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked quietly.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping." Gandalf said. "It is yours now." Gandalf hands the key to Thorin as everyone looks on in wonder.

"If there is a key, then there must be a door hidden in that mountain." Bonnie guessed. "Right?"

"That is correct, Bonnie." Gandalf grinned as he points at the runes on the map with his pipe. "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls of Erebor."

"There's another way in!" Kili whispered excitedly.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gandalf explained. "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori said.

"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo spoke out.

"And are you?" Gloin asked the hobbit.

"Am I what?" Bilbo asked, looking a bit puzzled.

"He said he's an expert! Hey hey!" Oin cheered.

"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo protested.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin concurred to the hobbit's point.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin agreed as well.

"Yep, he's right!" Damon agreed as well.

Bilbo nods in agreement while thew dwarves began arguing. Then, Gandalf angrily rises to his full height. "Enough!" He growled as he casted darkness over the group as starts speaking in his 'powerful' voice. "If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is." At a split second, Gandalf goes back to his normal self and explains. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage." He turns to Thorin. "You asked me to find the sixteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

"Very well." Thorin complied. "Will do it you way."

"No, no, no." Bilbo rejected.

"Give him the contract." Thorin ordered Balin.

"Please." Bilbo pleaded.

"Alright, we're off!" Bofur said cheerfully.

"Look, if Bilbo doesn't want to go, we shouldn't pressure him." Bonnie protested since she saw how nervous he was.

Balin hands Bilbo a long contract. "It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." He explained about the contract.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bonnie asked, looking completely shocked.

Damon turns to Balin. "Why would you want to add funeral arrangements in that contract?" He asked. "That is ridiculous!"

As Bilbo steps back a few feet to read the contract, Thorin leans toward Gandalf. "I cannot guarantee his safety." He whispered to him.

"Agreed." Gandalf promised.

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Thorin continued.

Bilbo continues to read parts of the contract out loud. "Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?" He asked one oft he dwarves.

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur joked.

Bilbo looks a little breathless.

Bonnie stands up. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Bilbo bends over, nauseous and pained. "Uh yeah… feel like I'm going to faint."

"I think he's going to puke." Damon described.

"Bilbo, just take it easy, and breath." Bonnie urged him. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur suggested.

"What?" Bonnie asked confusingly when she turned to face the crazy dwarf.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur continued.

Bilbo breathes heavily, trying to compose himself as Bonnie, Damon, and the dwarves stare at him. "Hmmm. Nope." He falls on the floor in a faint.

"Oh my god!" Bonnie said as she rushes over to help Bilbo.

"Wow, that was pretty helpful of you. Good job!" Damon said sarcastically.

"Why thank you lad." Bofur obliged.

An hour later, Bilbo is sitting on his chair, taking time to relax until Bonnie comes back with a mug of tea.

"Here you go." Bonnie said as she passes him a cup of tea. "It'll you calm your nerves down."

"I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment." Bilbo said quickly.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long." Gandalf said. "Tell me, when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

"Gandalf." Bonnie said, trying to intervene.

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End." Bilbo argued.

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes." Bilbo nodded.

"Well he could." Gandalf explained. "In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."

"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo remarked on Gandalf's story about his ancestor.

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment." Gandalf stated. "You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo asked nervously.

"No. And if you do, you will not be the same." Gandalf said.

"That's what I thought." Bilbo sighed. "Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit."

Bilbo walks away down the hall while Gandalf sighs. Bonnie walks over to him.

"Gandalf, just let him be." Bonnie said. "He made his choice, and we made ours." She walks out of the room to join Damon, Balin, and Thorin as they watch Bilbo walking away.

"It appears we have lost our burglar." Balin announced.

"Well probably for the best." Damon said.

"The odds were always against us." Balin sighed. "After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend."

"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin stated.

"Old warriors." Balin pointed out.

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills." Thorin explaining the plan. "For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"Thorin, you don't have to do this. You have a choice." Balin pleaded him. "You've done honorably for our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor."

"Gold?" Bonnie asked. "Are you saying that there is gold in the mountain?"

"Yes there is." Balin replied to her question. "A vast sea of gold in the mountain."

Bonnie and Damon exchange looks and look very surprised of what they heard.

"Balin, I understand your words." Thorin said. "But from my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

"Then I am with you, laddie." Balin swore. "We will see it done."

"So will we." Damon announced.

"Will do everything we can to help reclaim you homeland, Thorin." Bonnie promised.

Later, Bonnie and Damon gather with Gandalf and the Dwarves in Bilbo's living room. Bonnie and Damon sat down to listen to the Dwarves, who were humming, and soon Thorin begins to sing, and the others join him.

"_Far over the misty mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away ere break of day_

_To find our long-forgotten gold_

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread_

_The trees like torches blazed with light"_


	3. Chapter 3

It is morning. Bonnie, Damon, and Gandalf were given riding their horses while the dwarves, including Thorin, rode on ponies. through a wooded area in the Shire.

"Wait! Wait!" A person shouted from behind the company. Bonnie, Damon, Gandalf, Thorin, and the Dwarves make a complete stop, and turn to see who it was. It was Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo catches up to them and hands Balin the contract. "I signed it!"

Balin takes the contract and inspects it with a pocket-glass. He then smiles at Bilbo. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." He declared.

While the dwarves cheer, Bonnie and Damon sighed, and weren't impressed on what Bilbo was about to face during their voyage to Erebor. Thorin wasn't impressed as well.

"Give him a pony." Thorin ordered gruffly to one of the company members.

"No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I-I'm sure I can keep up on foot." Bilbo said. "I- I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!" Bilbo's speech is cut off when Bonnie and Damon ride alongside him and pick him up from behind to put him on a pony. Bonnie could tell that Bilbo looked quite terrified when he was riding the pony. The pony neighs and tosses its head, making him quite uncomfortable.

"So you changed your mind?" Bonnie asked the hobbit.

"Ah yes, I changed my mind." Bilbo replied. "I guess I wanted to go on adventure after all."

"Little tip, I don't know what's going to happen while we're on this quest." Damon spoke out. "But if you find that this quest turns out to be dangerous in stuff, try to make your way back home."

"Bilbo, there's still time for you to change your mind." Bonnie encouraged him. "You don't have to come with us."

"I'll see what happens." Bilbo sighed.

"Come on Nori, pay up." Oin shouted. "Go on."

Nori tosses a sack of money to Oin; sacks of money begin passing between the dwarves. Some of the dwarves laugh.

Bonnie rides next to Gandalf. "What's that about?" She asked the wizard.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not Bilbo would turn up." Gandalf explained. "Most of them bet that he wouldn't."

"What did you think?" Bonnie asked.

"Hmmm." Gandalf took time to think until he catches a sack of money tossed to him and puts it in his bag. "My dear Bonnie, I never doubted him for a second. But right now, we are about to face on what is about to come to us during our journey to the east of Rhovanion."


	4. Chapter 4

As the company camped for the night near the edge of a cliff, Bonnie woke up at the sound of Bombur's snore. Bonnie watches in disgust, then finally gets up and walks over to Gandalf who is smoking his weed pipe. Damon, Kili, and Fili were awake while most of the company members were fast asleep. Bonnie saw Bilbo walking over to his pony named Myrtle and gives her an apple, after checking to see that no one is looking.

"Cannot sleep?" Gandalf asked her quietly.

"I do, but I can't stand the snoring." Bonnie said, feeling disgusted.

"You should probably find a different spot to rest." Gandalf suggested. "Perhaps that is a little more quiet."

"Gandalf, I never told you about my secret." Bonnie pointed out. "Is it possible that I can tell you?"

"I already know what you are." Gandalf said. "Your a witch, and your friend is an immortal vampire."

"How did you know?" Bonnie asked.

"Damon told me during our journey." Gandalf explained. "Although, vampires never existed in this part of the world. Damon may be immortal, but he cannot use his speed or agility here. But he still has strength and control over bloodlust."

"Damon will need to have blood." Bonnie stated.

"Well, not so much." Gandalf said. "Vampire will endure to have vegetables, meat, elven bread, or wine. It will give him plenty of strength."

"Thanks for the tip." Bonnie said. "I'm sure Damon heard it. Vampires have good sense of hearing."

Suddenly, they hear a scream in the night air. Damon stood up quickly and engaged in defense mode since he was ready to fight while Fili and Kili were gazing at the distance.

"What the hell was that?" Damon asked.

"Orcs." Kili replied.

Another scream is heard which woke Thorin up.

"Orcs?" Damon echoed.

"Did you just say Orcs?" Bilbo asked as he approached the dwarf brothers.

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there." Fili elaborated. "The lowlands are crawling with them."

Bonnie came over to the dwarves. "Really?" She asked.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili added.

Bilbo turns around in fright and walks away to join the ponies, but Bonnie and Damon saw that Fili and Kili look at each other and giggled. Bonnie didn't look happy since she didn't find that funny.

"You think that's funny?" Damon asked, looking unhappy.

"It's just a simple joke." Kili said. "No harm will come."

"Well, I don't find that quite amusing." Bonnie said unhappily. "Seriously, you think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

"She's right!" Thorin said sharply and glared at Kili. "I don't find that funny at all."

"Uncle, we didn't mean anything by it." Kili said, looking reluctant.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin replied in disgust. He turns away from his nephews and walks off to the edge of the cliff, looking over the valley. Bonnie began to wonder why Orcs affected Thorin so much.

Then Balin walks up to Bonnie, Damon, Fili, and Kili. "Don't mind him, laddie. He said. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Then, he began to explain his story to them. "After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. "Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin."

"Oh my god, that's horrible." Bonnie remarked.

"And the most horrible thing that I saw during the Battle of Moria was seeing the pale orc beheading the King." Balin continued his story. "Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. Hundreds of dwarves were perished while thousands at most were forced to return to the Seven Houses, including one in the Iron Hills. I was one of those that survived, and I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Bonnie and Damon exchange looks and were quite surprised that Thorin was a royal heir to the line of Durin's Folk.

"So that's why you guys are doing this." Damon corrected. "It's not just the mountain your reclaiming, but the throne as well."

"I didn't realize Thorin Oakenshield was a Prince… or King." Bonnie said in wonder.

"Speaking of which, what happened to the pale orc after the battle ended?" Damon asked quietly at the end of Balin's story.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin answered.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, the Company arrives at an old, abandoned farmhouse that is in ruins.

"We'll camp here for the night." Thorin announced to the company. "Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them."

Gandalf went to have a look the old, abandoned farmhouse. "A farmer and his family used to live here." He observed.

"Is everything okay?" Bonnie asked him.

"I think it would be wiser to move on." Gandalf suggested.

"Then where should we head to next?" Damon asked as well.

"We could make for the Hidden Valley." Gandalf answered.

"No!" Thorin declined.

"Why not?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm not going near that place." Thorin rejected.

"Thorin, the elves can help us." Gandalf advised. "We could get food, rest, and advice."

"I do not need their advice." Thorin continued to reject Gandalf's offer in heading to the Hidden Valley.

"We have the map that we cannot read." Gandalf pointed out. "Lord Elrond could help us."

"Help?" Thorin asked sharply. "A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them." Gandalf argued. "I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep." Thorin argued back.

Gandalf stomps off angrily, leaving the Company. Bonnie didn't say one word to Thorin when she followed the wizard.

"Gandalf, where are you going?" Bonnie asked.

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense." Gandalf said angrily.

"Who's that?" Bilbo asked.

"Myself, Mr. Baggins!" Gandalf yelled. "I've had enough of dwarves for one day."

"Gandalf, your not planning to leave us?" Bonnie asked.

"Do not worry my dear, I will return." Gandalf promised. "Just stay and look out for the company, including our burglar."

"I will." Bonnie promised.

After Gandalf left, Bonnie walks back to the company.

"Is he coming back?" Bilbo asked.

"Yeah, he'll come back." Bonnie replied.

An hour later, Bonnie, Damon, Bilbo, and the whole company were having lunch until they heard a loud bang.

"What in Durin's name was that?" Gloin asked when he heard the bang.

"It sounded like a bang." Oin described.

"Or a gunshot?" Damon asked himself quietly as he stood up.

"It came from over there." Bonnie pointed at the direction where the sound came from.

"Gloin! Bifur! Come with me." Thorin ordered as he and the two dwarves prepare to head towards the spot where they heard the bang.

"Wait, best we check it out." Bonnie said.

"Will be back before you know it." Damon promised.

"Alright, but be careful." Thorin advised them.

"Okay." Bonnie complied.

Bonnie and Damon walk towards the spot where they heard the gunshot in the trees.

"The shot came from here." Bonnie described.

"Yeah, I know that." Damon said. "I thought guns never existed in this world."

"Maybe we we're wrong." Bonnie stated.

When Damon passed a tree, he made a complete stop when someone pointed its gun right next to Damon's head.

"Don't move, I don't want to hurt… you." A female voice said.

Damon recognized that voice and turned to face the person who was revealed to be Elizabeth Forbes. Elizabeth was shocked when she noticed it was Damon.

"Damon." Elizabeth said, looking shocked to see him alive.

"Liz." Damon said, looking surprised. "Is that you?"

"Your alive." Elizabeth exclaimed and noticed Bonnie. "Bonnie."

Coming out from the trees, Damon and Bonnie recognized a lot of familiar faces. It was Elena, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason.

"You got to be kidding me?" Damon asked.

"Hello Damon." Alaric chuckled.

Damon starts to grin, as does Alaric, and they embrace, laughing. After they release each other, Rose comes over to him.

"You know, when Alaric and I told you too get the girl, don't leave her." Rose pointed out with a smile.

"It's good to see you to Rose." Damon grinned. "I missed you."

Stefan comes over to his brother.

"Well done." Stefan said.

"Which is?" Damon asked.

"For doing the best thing in your life, and I owe you." Stefan added.

"No problem brother." Damon smirked and gave Stefan a hug.

Elena walks over to Damon. Damon think she's going to hug her, but she immediately slaps him in the face.

"Ouch." Lexi murmured.

"OWW, what was that for?" Damon asked loudly.

"For lying to me, saying that you would promise to come back." Elena pretended to be angry.

"Elena, I sacrificed my life." Damon pointed out angrily. "My life… to save a whole group of supernatural beings, including you, back to the land of the living. End of story."

"Well, I should thank you for that." Lexi stated. "Since you killed me, you brought me back."

"Consider that as a part that it will never happen again." Damon smirked.

"Well good, now that your all alive again, well still a vampire as usual, can you tell us what exactly happened when the Other Side crumbled to pieces?" Caroline asked with a pretending smile on her face.

"I really have no idea, but I'm really happy to see you." Bonnie smiled.

Caroline and Elena run over to Bonnie and hug her as well. Then Jamie, Tyler, Matt, and Vicki hug Bonnie as well since they were happy to see her friend. Jeremy didn't come over to hug her since he was unhappy when Bonnie lied to him that she would survive the Other Side's collapse.

"It's great to see you, Bonnie." Vicki said.

"We thought you were gone." Matt said.

"Thanks for bringing us back." Tyler thanked her. "Including my uncle."

Jeremy didn't say one word, but he immediately wrapped his arms around Bonnie's waist.

"How did you all get here?" Bonnie asked.

"It's a… long story." Jeremy said. "But will explain later."

"So what were you two doing here in this type of world after the Other Side went 'kaboom'?" Jenna asked alongside her lover Alaric.

"We… ah… joined a company." Damon said embarrassedly.

"What company?" Matt asked, looking puzzled.

"A company of dwarves who are on a quest to reclaim their homeland from a fire-breathing dragon." Bonnie corrected.

"A fire-breathing what?" Jeremy asked.

"A dragon?" Tyler asked.

"Seriously, you mean you two were all this time joining a company of dwarves to reclaim some homeland in stuff." Caroline said, looking very surprised.

"Yep." Damon said.

"And why is that?" Elena asked.

"Hmm, I don't know, maybe just something." Damon lied.

"Come on Damon, your hiding something." Stefan said.

"Tell us the truth." Lexi demanded.

Bonnie and Damon took time to explain everything of what they were doing on their quest and took the group to meet Thorin and his company.

"So you guys are helping these dwarves reclaim a lonely mountain filled with a vast sea of gold?" Luke asked.

"That's correct." Bonnie replied.

"Wow." Vicki said, looking a bit astonished.

"And the leader of this company is Thorin… Oaken…?" Matt asked.

"Shield." Bonnie corrected. "Thorin Oakenshield."

"How far is that place?" Jenna asked.

"I really don't have a slightest idea." Damon answered.

"You know Damon, what you and Bonnie did was pretty heroic." Alaric stated.

"The part when we gave our lives so we can get you all out of the Other Side." Damon pretends to yawn. "Sorry. I just nodded off."

"Damon, Damon… still got your sense of humor." Alaric pointed out.

"I always did." Damon smirked. "So… whatever happened to Enzo?"

"He was resurrected after the Other Side collapsed." Elena asked.

"But he was over the edge in going on a rampage so we threw him in the tomb." Lexi explained.

"It's like we gave him a time out." Stefan joked.

"Oh… good." Damon sighed in disgust. "Because it was my fault for making his life miserable. But you know what, he should've found peace rather than coming back all over again."

"Well, it kinda reminds me." Lexi spoke. "When your emotions were off, you fooled me into thinking that my plan had worked… that you flipped your humanity switch back on because of your feeling for Kath-…"

"I do not want to hear that word." Damon cut her off. "She never loved me, she used me, and made me look like I was her pet dog. She pretended to be buried in a tomb for 145 years, and I waited so long to save her."

"Well, I haven't turned her in the first place, you wouldn't have met her." Rose said.

"And that was when you turned me into a murderous vampire." Vicki added.

"Okay, I'm sorry for that." Damon pretended to apologize. "If I hadn't come back to Mystic Falls to turn you, I wouldn't get Katherine out of that tomb."

"Don't forget me Damon." Mason added. "If you hadn't killed me, I would've learned the truth already that Katherine never loved me."

"And I bet she got herself sucked into oblivion or found peace?" Damon guessed hopefully.

"Bad news Damon, Katherine came back with Nadia and her new romance after the Other Side collapsed." Matt added.

"Ah, boo-hoo, tears are streaming down my eyes." Damon pretended to cry. "In fact, who is the guy that Katherine had fallen for?"

"A guy named Tom Avery who is one of Silas' doppelgängers." Stefan replied.

"Really? That's great." Damon continued to be sarcastic. "Hope she dumps him."

"We're almost to the camp." Bonnie announced to the group.

The whole group makes a sudden stop to see Thorin and Balin having a chat.

"That's him." Bonnie whispered as she pointed at the dwarf right beside Elena, Caroline, and Liv.

"He's kinda cute." Caroline pointed out at Thorin's appearance.

Bilbo Baggins spots them and walks over to Thorin and Balin.

"Ah, Balin." Bilbo spoke out.

"Not now, Bilbo." Balin said and turns to focus on Thorin. "Thorin, why can't you just accept Gandalf's advice. The Elves can truly help us."

"Elves?" Elena asked in a whisper.

"Santa's elves?" Tyler whispered and giggled in a jester.

"Very funny." Liv whispered in disgust towards Tyler Lockwood's jester.

"I told you already, Balin." Thorin argued. "I'm not going near that place. They have become our enemies."

"The elves are hardly our enemies." Balin argued back. "You blame them because Thranduil turned his back on you."

"He turned his back on the suffering of our people when the dragon attacked Erebor." Thorin explained. "Thranduil and the elves looked on and did nothing to help us."

"Maybe so… or maybe he didn't want to risk the lives of his own kin to suffer the wrath of the dragon." Balin pointed out. "Thorin, killing a dragon is really tough, and we need to think of a plan on how to kill him."

"We will think of a plan, Balin." Thorin promised. "But we will not seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather."

Balin sighed and gave Thorin a pat. "I understand."

"Ah, are you two done arguing?" Damon asked.

Balin and Thorin turn to face Damon and Bonnie and they were quite surprised that were with a whole group. Elena, Caroline, and Lexi waved their hands as a sign of hello.

As the sun was beginning to set, Bonnie, Jeremy, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Elizabeth, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason were all sitting together in a circle around Balin, eating and drinking altogether.

"So you Dwarves lived in a state of exile?" Liv asked.

"Precisely." Balin nodded.

"So what is Durin's Folk?" Mason asked, drinking a mug of ale.

"Durin's Folk, also known as the Longbeards, was one of the seven kindreds of Dwarves whose leaders from the House of Durin." Balin explained. "The House of Durin was the line of the descendants of Durin the Deathless, eldest of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves. The kingship of the line continued even when those with the title were in exile."

"What happened?" Elena asked, feeling sorry for him and the Dwarves.

"After the death of Dain, Thror, one of the mightiest dwarf lords, led a many of his people away from the Grey Mountains and began to resettle in Erebor, the Lonely Mountain." Balin continued. "As Dain's heir, Thror became the first King under the Mountain and ruled with utter surety, never doubting his house would endure, for his line lay secure in the lives of his son and grandson." Balin paused and took a moment to speak. "Erebor was one of the most greatest kingdoms in Middle-earth. The beauty of this city was legend and its wealth lay in the earth, in precious gems hewed from rock, and in great seams of gold, running like rivers through stone."

"So your people were mining for gold?" Stefan asked.

"Indeed." Balin replied and continued his story. "The skill of the dwarves was unequaled, fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire. Ever they delved deeper, down into the dark. But that was when they found it."

"What did they find?" Caroline asked.

"The Arkenstone, the heart of the mountain." Balin answered.

"Wow." Tyler murmured.

"That's very interesting." Vicki said in awe.

"So the dwarves find this Arkenstone? What did they use it for?" Alaric asked.

"Thror named it the King's Jewel." Balin continued his story. "He took it as a sign, a sign that his right to rule was divine. All would pay homage to him, even the great Elvenking, Thranduil. But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. Slowly, the days turned sour, and the watchful nights closed in. The most terrible thing that I ever saw in my life was when Thror's love of gold had grown to fierce. A sickness had begun to grow within him; it was a sickness of the mind. And where sickness thrives, bad things would follow. That was when Smaug the terrible, a fire-drake from the north, attacked Erebor and Dale, which was ruled by Men. He crawled into the front-gate and a number of dwarves were killed in this terrible firestorm."

"Oh my god." Elena sounded horrified. "That's horrible."

"It was dreadful." Balin said. "Such wanton death was dealt that day, and Erebor was lost. After Smaug claimed the treasure for himself and laid there upon a vast sea of gold, Thror, along with his son and grandson, led many of their people, including all the dwarven children, out of the mountain in terror. There was nothing we could do, but to watch our beloved city been taken by a fire-breathing dragon who claimed it all for himself. Our homeland was robbed, and we were all in exile."

"Whatever happened to the Arkenstone?" Meredith asked.

"The Arkenstone was lost, buried into a massive pile of gold." Balin continued. "After losing our homeland, King Thror led a regiment of 108,000 Dwarves of Erebor and the Iron Hills to claim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But that was when our enemy got their first. Moria was already taken by a vast legion of 150,000 Mountain Orcs that were led by the most vile of all their kin: Azog the Defiler. The giant pale orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin." The whole group were completely shocked and interested in Balin's tale. "He began by beheading the King."

Elena was even shocked and horrified of what she heard. She began to picture on what it was like of seeing the dwarven king been beheaded by a deadly orc.

"How bad was the battle?" Mason asked.

"It was horrible." Balin continued. "Horrible it was to see our beloved king been slain by a deadly monster. Thrain, Thror's son, was driven mad by grief after he watched his father's head roll down to him. He somehow disappeared during the battle, and we did not know whether he was taken prisoner or killed. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That was when I saw him. His name was Thorin, Thror's grandson. The young dwarf prince stood alone against the pale orc. His armor rent… wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. As Azog swung his mace one last time, Thorin grabbed a sword lying nearby, and cuts off Azog's left arm, his mace arm, from below the elbow. Thorin rallied his forces and drove the orcs back. Our enemy was defeated, but we lost more than 18,000 of our beloved brothers and sisters that fought valiantly against the enemy. There was no feast or song that night after the battle, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. I was one of those that survived, and I thought to myself then. There was one who I could follow. There is one who claim the throne and become King under the Mountain."

"Thorin is a Prince?" Liz said, looking surprised. "An heir?"

"Unbelievable." Jamie whispered in awe.

"That is so… amazing." Caroline muttered to herself and covered her mouth.

"He is the heir of Durin's Folk." Balin said. "A dwarf who would reclaim Erebor and all the gold that was lost for sixty years."

The whole group turned to stare at Thorin, standing in awe. Jeremy, Matt, and Tyler whispered to each other, thinking how interesting it was.


	6. Chapter 6

It is nighttime; Bonnie, Jeremy, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves prepared themselves a dinner of soup. Bilbo was walking around, waiting for Gandalf to return. Jeremy and Bonnie didn't talk to each other ever since they reunited.

"He's been gone a long time." Bilbo said worriedly.

"Who's been gone?" Alaric asked the Hobbit.

"Gandalf." Bilbo answered.

"Who's Gandalf?" Matt asked while eating his soup.

"He's a wandering wizard who was the one who hired us for this quest." Bonnie explained.

"Where is he?" Stefan asked.

"He's nowhere to be seen." Damon said as he walked passed him. "He promised he would come back, but its been hours."

"And if he does, he will!" Bofur spoke out to them. "Not to worry lads, Gandalf does as he chooses." He turns to Bilbo and Luke and hands them two bowls of soup and two mugs of water. "Here, do me a favor: take this to the lads over there."

"Sure." Luke complied. "By all means."

Luke takes the two mugs of water and Bilbo takes the two bowls of soup to take to Fili and Kili, who were tasked by their uncle to look after the ponies all day. Tyler tries to take more soup, but Alaric catches him by grabbing his arm softly.

"Tyler, you've had plenty." Alaric said.

"Sorry." Tyler said, looking disappointed since he really liked that soup. He walks and sits beside Liv, Vicki, Matt, Stefan, and Lexi.

"You have big strong stomach don't you." Liv said, describing Tyler's hunger.

"You bet, ever since my uncle and I were dead and came back to life as untriggered werewolves, I started to eat a lot of food, exercise, controlling my anger issues, and you giving me and Mason these nice lunar rings to prevent the curse from affecting us." Tyler said.

"Well your welcome." Liv pretended to be glad about.

"And we should thank you as well." Vicki pointed out. "You brought me back so Matty here wouldn't be alone without me." She turns to smile at Matt. "Right?"

"Right!" Matt answered as he took a sip of water.

"Speaking of which, while I was dead for a while in the Other Side, were you still contacting your so-called blond-haired girlfriend?" Vicki asked suspiciously with a grin.

"Ah… well…" Matt sighed. "Not so much. But I did show her a lot on what it was like to become human. After everything she did, I saw that she could be redeemed. Just after graduation Vick, she took me out of Mystic Falls and showed me life as I've dreamed of. We went to Italy, China, Paris, and the Northern Lights."

"So it was like a romance date?" Vicki asked.

"Yeah." Matt scoffed. "Rebekah really saved my life, and I can never how there was still good in her."

"And that's the way I did it before when I was a vampire." Lexi joined in the conversation.

"Then, you found me and helped me turn my emotions back on." Stefan added with grin.

"Hmm, but you had a little trouble along the way and I didn't treat you as a friend, but like a mother." Lexi stated.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint mom, I guess I was just carried away." Stefan joked.

"Okay." Lexi chuckled. "By you know what, when I came back to life with you, I'm surprised you haven't dated Caroline."

"Seriously Stefan, were you actually planning on dating Caroline?" Vicki asked.

Stefan didn't say one word.

Meanwhile, Bilbo and Luke walk through the dark to where Fili and Kili are watching the ponies.

Luke clears his throat. "Ah, supper time?" He said as he hands them their drinks. He and Bilbo began to notice that the two brothers were staring out into the dark and didn't even take the soup from Bilbo when he hands it to them. "Is there a problem?"

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies." Kili said as he continued to stare at the ponies.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem." Fili announced to the two.

"We had sixteen." Kili said, estimating the number of ponies that the company had.

"Now there's fourteen." Fili counted.

Fili, and Kili went on to examine the group of ponies while Luke and Bilbo continued to hold the mugs and bowls as they followed them.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing." Kili said.

"Okay, that's not good." Luke said and noticed some trees recently uprooted and laying on the ground. "And that's not good as well."

"Um, should we tell Thorin and the others about this?" Bilbo asked worriedly while he examined the unrooted trees.

"Uhh, no." Fili declined. "Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it."

"Well, I'm thinking that something big probably unrooted these trees." Luke guessed as he examined the unrooted trees.

"Yes, I agree." Bilbo joined in. "Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous."

"Well, we're not sure about that." Luke said. "Although, I'm thinking maybe a storm must've been the cause of unrooting these trees. It's possible that the two missing ponies must've wondered off somewhere."

"Our ponies never wonder off." Kili stated. "They stay where they are. They never leave their spot."

"Hey!" Fili gestured. "There's a light. Over here! Stay down."

As the four of them quietly run through the forest toward the light Fili has seen, and they hide behind a log when they realize that it is a fire. Harsh laughter is been heard from near the fire.

"What is it?" Luke asked.

"Trolls." Kili answered.

"Trolls?" Luke asked in surprise. "Well, it looks like fairy tales are starting to come true after all."

"Fairy tales?" Bilbo asked, looking confused.

Fili and Kili run toward the fire, forcing Bilbo and Luke to follow them. Suddenly, Bilbo and Luke hide behind a tree and saw a gigantic troll that was walking toward the fire, carrying two ponies under each arm. He was likely 13 feet tall.

"Wow, that is a massive troll that I ever seen my life." Luke whispered in awe.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty!" Bilbo whispered in shock. "I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

"What? No, no, bad idea! Bad idea!" Luke refused to follow Bilbo's plan. "Let's just go back and warn the others about this, and tell them that a group of ugly trolls just kidnapped four ponies."

"No, we should rescue them." Kili agreed. "And I'm thinking that Bilbo should do it."

"N-n-no-" Bilbo declined.

"Trolls are slow and stupid, and Bilbo is very small." Kili explained the plan.

"No, no, no, that is a bad idea." Bilbo continued to decline. "What happens if they see me?"

"They'll never see you." Kili promised. "It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you."

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl." Fili instructed him.

"Come on guys, this is a bad idea!" Luke warned quietly. "Your putting his life in danger! At risk!" He and Bilbo turn around, but Fili and Kili are already out of sight. "Oh, you got to be kidding me?"

"I'll just rescue the ponies." Bilbo informed him quietly and crawled over to where the trolls were.

"Screw those guys!" Luke said, not realizing that Bilbo crawling away from him. "This is crazy! Come on, Bilbo!" He turns around and noticed that Bilbo moving towards the fire. He sighed in disgust and muttered to himself. "My sister is gonna kill me when she finds out what I've been doing."

Luke follows Bilbo to where the three trolls named Tom, Bert, and William, sit around a fire on which a cauldron of something is cooking. Tom is the troll who brought the ponies. William has on a dirty vest. Bert is the cook and is wearing an apron.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow." Bert complained.

"Quit yer' griping." Tom exclaimed. "These ain't sheep. These is West Nags!" He chuckled as he placed Myrtle and Minty with the other two horses, Daisy and Bongo.

"Oh, I don't like `orse." William harassed. "I never `ave. Not enough fat on them."

"Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer that I eat for dinner. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth." Bert mentioning about his time eating a farmer.

William sneezes into the pot they have boiling over a fire.

"Well that's lovely, that is; a floater." Bert remarked.

"Oh, might improve the flavor!" Tom suggested.

"Ah! There's more where that came from." William added and begins to sneeze more, but Bert grabs him by the nose.

"Oh no you don't." Bert shouted at William as he continued to hold him by the nose.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" William squealed in agony.

Bert immediately throws William down. "Now sit down, and don't even think of sneezing in the pot again." He shouted.

William sneezes again, this time into a handkerchief he pulls out from behind him. He sniffs for a long time while Bilbo and Luke, reaching the pen in which the ponies are held. They attempted to untie the ropes, but had to hide as William turns towards them.

"Well I hope you're gonna gut these nags." William said as he stared at the ponies. "But I don't like the stinky parts."

Bert turns and hits William with his ladle, causing William to squeal in pain. "I said sit down!" He shouted again at William. "Do you want me to say it again?"

"Oh, I'm starving Bert!" Tom complained. "Are we `aving horse tonight or what?"

"You'll eat what I give ya' Tom." Bert promised.

As William pulls out his handkerchief, Luke sees that he's wearing a long knife in his belt. Luke taps Bilbo while he was busy trying to free the ponies from captivity.

"Bilbo, look!" Luke glanced quietly at the knife.

"I'll get it." Bilbo said. "See if you can try and free ponies."

Luke grabs Bilbo's shoulder. "Be careful!" He warned quietly. "Don't let them see you."

"Well how come 'e's the cook?" Tom asked. "Everything tastes the same. Everything tastes like chicken."

"Except the chicken." William added.

"Then it tastes like fish!" Tom guessed.

"Look Tom, I'm just saying… a little appreciation would be nice." William paused for a moment and continues to stir with his ladle. "'Thank you very much, Bert,' 'Lovely stew, Bert'; how hard is that? Hmm, it just needs a sprinkle of squirrel dung." He sprinkles some squirrel dung while William picks up a mug of drink, but Bert already noticed and gets mad. "Hey, that's my grog!"

"Uhh, uhh, sorry." William apologized, but Bert hits William with his ladle again, knocking him down. He gets back up.

Bert tastes the soup in his ladle. "Ooh, that is beautifully balanced, that is." He remarked and lets William taste some of the soup in the ladle and gulps it down. "Wrap your indistinguishable around that, mate. Eh? Good, innit? Heh, heh, heh. That's why I'm the cook."

Bilbo gets behind William and tries to reach for the knife, but William stand up and scratches his bottom.

"Me guts are grumbling, I've got to snaffle something." Tom complained again. "Flesh I need, flesh!"

William, about to sneeze, reaches behind him for his handkerchief, but accidentally grabs Bilbo instead, and sneezes all over him. He then realizes that he's not holding any ordinary booger.

"Argh! Blimey!" William shouted in surprise.

"Oh no!" Luke muttered of what he saw.

"Bert! Bert!" William shouted in panic. "Look what's come out of me 'ooter! It's got arms and legs and everything."

Bert and Tom gather around to look.

"What is it?" Tom asked.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!" William replied nervously and shakes Bilbo off the napkin and onto the ground.

Bert turns around and spots Luke. "Hey, what'a think your doing?" He asked.

Luke tries to make a run for it, but Bert was able to block his escape with his ladle, and shoves him in the middle next to Bilbo, who was covered in snot.

"Well, well, well!" Tom sneered as he held his small knife in front. "What do we have here? Looks like we got ourselves a little human man." He turns his eyes directly at Bilbo. "And ah… well… this one doesn't look human to me. He looks like an oversized squirrel."

"No I'm a burglar- uhh, Hobbit." Bilbo corrected.

"A Burglar-Hobbit?" William asked surprisedly.

"Can we cook `im?" Tom asked.

"We can try!" William sneered as he tries to grab Luke and Bilbo, but the dodge, only to be corned by Bert who held his ladle in front.

"They wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when they're skinned and boned!" Bert said loudly.

"Perhaps there's more Humans and Burglar-Hobbits around these parts." Tom suggested as he held his knife in front of Luke. "Might be enough for a pie."

"Grab him!" Bert yelled.

"Bilbo, run!" Luke yelled.

As the trolls try to catch Bilbo and Luke, they run around trying to dodge them. Bert accidentally hits William with his ladle while trying to hit Bilbo. Bilbo was able to flee, but Luke was caught by the legs by Tom, and held upside down in the air.

"Come here, you little... Gotcha!" Tom bellowed.

"Put me down!" Luke shouted.

"Now, are there any more Humans and Burglar-Hobbits hiding where you shouldn't?" Tom asked.

"What? No, no. It's just me." Luke lied.

"He's lying." William hissed.

"No I'm not!" Luke continued to lie.

"Hold his toes over the fire." William sneered. "Make him squeal."

Suddenly, Mason and Tyler Lockwood run out of the bushes and cut William in the leg with dwarven swords. William howled and squealed as he fell down in agony, but was able to get back up.

"Alright, drop him!" Mason shouted at the trolls.

"You what?" Tom asked.

"We said, drop him!" Tyler shouted as well. "NOW!"

Tom throws Luke at Mason and Tyler. He lands on them, knocking them both down. A posit second, the rest of the company of Dwarves, including Bonnie, Jeremy, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason, charge out of the bushes, attacking the three trolls. They begin fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering their legs. Luke, Tyler, and Mason join the fight.

"Matt!" Vicki shouted at her brother as she held a sword. "Catch!" She threw her sword, allowing her brother to grab it and plunge it into William's leg, who howled in agony.

"Why you little!" William exclaimed.

Lexi, Jenna, Alaric, and Stefan jumped on Tom, but the troll was able to grab both Jenna and Stefan. Damon plunged his sword into Tom's leg, causing the troll to release Jenna and Stefan. Jeremy, Matt, and Tyler spent much of their time fighting William.

"OW!" William exclaimed in agony.

As the whole group fight and try as much to overwhelm Bert, Tom, and William, Bilbo grabs William's knife and cuts the ropes, freeing the ponies. Tom, seeing this, moves towards Bilbo. Bilbo saw him coming, and runs away. Before Tom grabs Bilbo, Luke jumps in the way, holding Tom's knife, and slashed his hand. Tom was angry and grabbed Luke. Everyone stops fighting when they see the trolls holding Luke by the arms and legs.

"Luke!" Liv screamed in horror. She tries to run and save him, but Stefan and Caroline prevent her from doing it.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off." Tom threatened the group.

Thorin looks at Luke in frustration, and was the first to lay his sword in the ground. The others were forced to comply in order to prevent the trolls from killing Luke.

Later on, the trolls already tied Alaric, Bofur, Dori, Dwalin, Luke, Mason, Nori, Ori, and Vicki onto a large split and are roasting them over a fire. Balin, Bombur, Bonnie, Caroline, Damon, Elena, Elizabeth, Fili, Gloin, Jamie, Jenna, Kili, Lexi, Liv, Matt, Meredith, Oin, Rose, Stefan, Trevor, and Tyler are tied up in sacks.

"Don't bother cooking them." William argued. "Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." Bert suggested.

"Is this really necessary?" Rose asked.

"Ooh, that does sound quite nice." William agreed.

"Untie us, you ugly monsters!" Liv exclaimed.

"Why don't you take on someone your own size!" Trevor insulted them.

"Shut your mouths!" Bert growled at them. "Or I will cook you all as well."

"Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone." Tom warned.

While everyone was making noises and planning to break free, Bilbo was the only one who heard what Tom said and had an idea.

"Wait!" Bilbo called to the trolls who were arguing. "You are making a terrible mistake."

"Bilbo, what are you doing?" Elena asked.

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Dori shouted in panic.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?" Luke asked.

Bilbo manages to stand up, although still tied up in a sack. He faces the trolls.

"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." Bilbo said.

"What about the seasoning?" Bert asked.

"Well have you smelt them?" Bilbo asked. "You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up."

"What?" Tyler exclaimed.

"Traitor!" Meredith exclaimed.

"You bastard!" Liv exclaimed.

"Bilbo, when I get out of here, I'm going to be the one who will end you." Damon threatened angrily at Bilbo, not knowing that Bilbo trying to stall them.

"What does this Burglar-Hobbit know about cooking dwarves and humans?" Tom asked.

"Shut up Tom!" Bert snarled and turns directly at Bilbo. "Let him talk."

"Uh, th-the secret to cooking a dwarf or a human is, um-" Bilbo paused and tried to think.

"Yes? Come on." Bert insisted excitedly. "Tell us the secret."

"The secret is… to add some nicely fresh potatoes." Bilbo said.

"Potatoes?" Lexi asked.

Liv turns to face Bonnie. "What the heck is he doing?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know, maybe he's trying to stall them." Bonnie guessed.

"What's next little burglar hobbit?" Bert asked.

"Mash the potatoes, and also add some pepper to make it more… delectable." Bilbo instructed.

"Delectable you say?" William asked, looking a bit intrigued.

"And then?" Bert demanded.

"Then, we… well… skin everyone." Bilbo added.

"Skin us!" Rose shouted.

"Have you lost your mind?" Caroline asked loudly.

"Tom, get me the filleting knife." Bert ordered.

"If I get you, you little traitor!" Tyler yelled.

"I'll get you for this." Vicki yelled and threatened. "I'll rip your little head off when I get out of here."

"I won't forget that!" Dwalin shouted.

"What a load of rubbish!" Tom argued. "I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all."

Suddenly, Bonnie and Bilbo spot Gandalf slipping behind some trees nearby.

"He's right!" William agreed. "Nothing wrong with a bit of raw human!" He grabs Elizabeth Forbes, and dangles her upside down over his mouth, about to eat her. "Nice and crunchy!"

"Liz!" Damon yelled.

"Put me down you disgusting fiend!" Elizabeth demanded.

"No, no, no, not my mom!" Caroline cried.

"She's infected!" Bilbo lied.

"What?" Caroline asked.

"What did he just say?" Oin asked.

"She's got worms in her… tubes." Bilbo continued to lie in order to save Caroline's mother from been eaten. William freaked out and drops Elizabeth back into the pile in disgust, forcing Bilbo continue lying. "In-in fact I was going to tell you. They all have, they're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

"Parasites, did he say parasites?" Oin asked.

"Yes, he's telling the truth, I was born with parasites and I had them all my life." Bonnie lied and finally realized what Bilbo was doing.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, my sister and I were infected by parasites." Matt joined in as well.

"It's true." Elena lied. "I got parasites too. My mom and dad had parasites, including my ancestors."

"Elena and I are infected too." Jeremy lied.

"It's really horrible." Meredith lied.

"I've got parasites as big as my heart." Damon lied.

"So do I." Stefan lied.

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili lied.

"My whole family and I have been riddled by parasites." Mason lied.

"So have I." Luke lied. "My sister and I are riddled with parasites."

"Please just let us go." Matt implored. "We're telling the truth."

"What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?" Tom asked.

"Yes, of course!" Bilbo nodded.

"You think I don't know what you're up to?" Tom asked angrily and turns to Bert. "These little ferrets are taking us for fools!"

"Did you just call us ferrets?" Caroline asked.

That was when Gandalf appears on top of a large rock above the clearing. "The dawn will take you all!" He bellowed towards the three trolls.

"Who's that?" Tom asked.

"No idea." Bert answered.

"Can we eat `im too?" William asked.

"It's Gandalf!" Bonnie said.

Immediately, Gandalf strikes the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touches the trolls' skin, they begin turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there are three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. Everybody cheers for Gandalf. As Balin, Bombur, Bonnie, Caroline, Damon, Elena, Elizabeth, Fili, Gloin, Jamie, Jenna, Kili, Lexi, Liv, Matt, Meredith, Oin, Rose, Stefan, Trevor, and Tyler are freed, Alaric, Bofur, Dori, Dwalin, Luke, Mason, Nori, Ori, and Vicki were still on the spit and were feeling uncomfortable.

"Uh, excuse me. The monsters are dead. Can you get us down now?" Luke insisted.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin complained angrily.


	7. Chapter 7

After the death of Bert, Tom, and William, who were petrified by the sun, Bonnie, Jeremy, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves have been freed from the spit and from the sacks. Damon and Thorin approach to Gandalf after the wizard walks to one of the troll statues and thumps it with his staff, with a pleased smile on his face.

"So where were you?" Damon asked Gandalf.

"I was looking ahead." Gandalf replied.

"What brought you back?" Thorin asked as well.

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece." Gandalf said.

"Well no thanks to your little burglar. I was this close in breaking his arm or snapping his neck when I thought that he betrayed us." Damon said.

"Seriously Damon." Stefan said.

"Bilbo had the nous to play for time." Gandalf explained. "None of the rest of you thought of that."

"Well we didn't hear a part of trolls turning into stone by the light of the sun." Caroline added when she approached the wizard.

"Sweetheart…" Elizabeth interrupted. "That was considered stalling." She turns to Bilbo. "And I should thank you for saving my life from been eaten by one of those ugly savages."

"Don't mention it." Bilbo said.

"And thank you for saving us from been roasted to death." Caroline appreciated.

"The pleasure is mine." Bilbo smiled.

"So who might these people be?" Gandalf asked.

"Oh where my manners, Gandalf… meet my brother Stefan, my girlfriend Elena, and my best friends Alaric, Jenna, Mason, Lexi, and Rose." Damon introduced them.

"Hi." Rose said.

"Now that your back, turning the trolls into stone, let's hit the road, and continue our long voyage." Damon insisted.

"Oh we will Master Salvatore." Gandalf promised and began to examine the statues of the trolls.

"So where did those trolls actually come from?" Elena asked.

"They must have came down from the Ettenmoors." Gandalf believed.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked.

"Well there not really mountain trolls." Gandalf corrected as he thumps one of the statues two times with his staff. "They happen to be Stone trolls, a different breed. These ones are cursed and sunlight will do just the trick in killing them."

"Gosh… I wonder how painful it might be for them." Lexi wondered.

"It's very painful my dear." Gandalf said and turned to face the statues. "Its been nearly an age since Stone trolls ventured this far south… not since a darker power ruled these lands."

"Wind kind of dark power?" Bonnie asked.

"You'll know soon enough." Gandalf said and continued to examine the statues. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"Then there must be a place that these trolls might've hid during the daytime." Elizabeth claimed. "A place to prevent the sun from killing them."

"Caves are the only places for trolls to live." Gandalf added.

"Then there must be one nearby." Thorin reckoned.

The group finds a large cave nearby, and they enter it. Inside, they notice a full treasure that the trolls have been hoarding.

"Ugh, what's that horrible otter?" Caroline asked, covering her nose.

"I do not want to know." Elena said, covering her nose.

"It's a troll hoard." Gandalf answered. "Be careful what you touch."

"Is this a place where trolls go to the bathroom?" Jeremy teased.

"More likely, Jer." Vicki said.

Jeremy, Matt, Vicki, Tyler, Luke, and Liv were the first to find the piles of gold coins and other treasure in caskets.

"I don't believe it." Liv murmured in awe.

"You got to be kidding me?" Matt asked in wonder.

"Gold coins." Jeremy murmured.

"Is it me, or am I dreaming?" Luke asked.

"Well it seems to be a shame for these trolls to leave gold coins lying around." Vicki said. "I mean, anyone could take it."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Matt asked with a grin on his face.

Tyler grabs a couple of coins and looked excited. "We hit a jack pot!" He exclaimed and runs in to grab a number of gold coins and puts them in an empty chest.

Matt, Jeremy, Liv, Luke, and Vicki join in and grab as much gold and put them in sacks.

"Hey, I saw that first." Vicki argued as she grabs that necklace before Liv could touch it.

Liv sighed in disgust, and shakes her head as she continued to put some of the gold coins in her bag.

While exploring, Elena and Caroline found a chest filled with gold coins and smile at each other. Alaric, Mason, Elizabeth, and the rest of the dwarves continue to explore more inside the cave. Thorin finds fifteen swords covered in cobwebs. The dwarf prince grabs two that were closer to him as Gandalf, Stefan, Lexi, Rose, and Trevor approach him.

"These swords were not made by any troll." Thorin observed the swords as he passed on to Gandalf.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf said as he draws the sword in his hand out of its sheath a few inches.

"If these swords were not made by trolls, then its possible they must've stole them." Rose guessed.

Trevor grabs one of the longest swords. He draws the sword in his hand out of its sheath a few inches, and noticed that the color of the blade was blue. "I have never seen a sword look like this before, Rose." He gazed at the blade.

Rose grabs two long twin swords that were completely the same. Lexi found a sword and grins, deciding to keep it as her own.

"These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age." Gandalf remarked on the swords.

"It must've been a long time." Lexi believed.

Thorin drops his sword in disgust and walks out of the cave. Meredith and Jenna noticed this.

"What's his problem?" Jenna asked.

Gandalf turns to face her. "Thorin has held a deep hatred against the elves." He explained about Thorin's past. "After Smaug the terrible took the Lonely Mountain, Thorin requested aid from the Elves, but they couldn't help since Thranduil would not risk the lives of his own kin to suffer the wrath of the dragon. Thorin has never forgotten and he will never forgive."

"Poor guy." Meredith whispered next to Jenna, who nodded.

Jamie noticed the sword that Thorin threw to the ground picks it up. Reluctantly, he holds on to the sword. He draws it out of its sheath a few inches as well. Meanwhile, Jeremy, Matt, Vicki, Tyler, Luke, and Liv were almost finished in piling up the gold in their bags.

"We are going to make a long term deposit." Matt suggested.

"Hope I'll get new house for this when we come back home." Jeremy chuckled.

"And when I went against my coven rules, I was nearly kicked out, but I'm sure we'll make a living." Luke hoped until he found a crown. "As a matter of fact, I dream of becoming king."

"Well congratulations, Luke. You just became 'King of the Jerks'." Liv insulted.

"Hey, there's no need for you to be so insulting." Luke said.

"Whatever, now let's get out of this disgusting place. It's killing me!" Liv ignored him as she walks out with her bag of gold.

Luke sighed and turns to face a sword that was lying on the ground. He picks it up and find out that the blade was made out of pure gold. "Well, it looks like I finally found myself an antique."

Matt and Vicki walk out together with their gold.

"So Vick, when we get back to Mystic Falls, well after we figure out a way to reverse the spell that the Travelers casted, will try to buy a new house." Matt suggested.

"I'll work on that Matty." Vicki grinned.

"Oh, I know you will." Matt said.

As everyone in the group was getting out of the cave, Lexi steps on something metallic. Brushing aside the leaves beneath her with her hand, she finds another sword. She exits the cave and heads over to where Bilbo is sitting. She hands Bilbo the sword she just found.

"Bilbo." Lexi called. "Here. This is about your size. You might need it to protect yourself incase if you run into trouble."

"Thank you, but I don't need this." Bilbo rejected the sword.

"I think you should." Lexi insisted.

"She's right, Bilbo!" Gandalf agreed. "The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby." He walks away.

"Well." Lexi looked surprised and intrigued as she turns to stare at Bilbo with a smile. "I think its your lucky day then."

"But I have never used a sword in my life." Bilbo said.

"And I hope you never have to." Lexi continued. "But if you do, promise to remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."

"You seem to understand the concepts of mercy." Bilbo indicated.

"I always have… for centuries." Lexi said and hands the sword over to Bilbo. "Keep it with you. You might need it."

"But I'm not as brave as everyone else in this Company." Bilbo mentioned as he holds the sword. "I'm not even a skilled fighter."

"You're very brave, Bilbo." Lexi remarked and smiles. "Maybe you'll have your courage one day. You simply have to want it."

Bilbo sighs a bit and nods as he carries the sword with him while Lexi watches him walk with the rest of the group. That was when Stefan came right up to her.

"You know, sometimes it makes me think that he's your child." Stefan joked.

"Well, for a Hobbit, he is the a little taller than the size of a human child." Lexi described him. "But what the heck, it doesn't matter, and we never mention about person's size or weight."

"Well, speaking of which, you acted like you were my mom." Stefan brought up as he stood next to her.

"And what was the part I showed you?" Lexi asked.

"You showed me on what I feel, and I had to let it all back in." Stefan answered.

"And I said that once your hurt, you can still love." Lexi added. "Everything is intensified when you're a vampire Stefan. When we hurt, we really hurt. But when we love… that is a part of humanity."

Stefan sniffs out with a grin and turns to face her. "I'm glad your here with me, Lexi." He said. "But like I said, what if Elena… was the one?"

"She was. And she will always be an epic love." Lexi stated. "Contrary to popular belief, there are actually multiple ones - especially for a vampire. The only way to find another is to let go, and move on."

"Yeah." Stefan nodded. "Your right about that." Stefan agreed. "But I nearly lost a brother who I lived for a 173 years."

"But now, your both together again, which is good." Lexi pointed out and grabs Stefan's arm. "Come on. Let's go. And by the way, you should also really date with Caroline."

"Oh, shut it." Stefan said quietly with a fake smile.

Suddenly, Stefan, Lexi, and the others began to hear the sound of foliage being crushed, and the birds fleeing around in terror at the sound of hoof beasts quickly approaching the company.

"Something's coming!" Thorin shouted to everyone.

"Stay together!" Gandalf called out to everyone. "Hurry now. Arm yourselves."

Elizabeth draws out her gun while the others draw out their weapons that they found in the Troll Cave. The whole company is ready to greet the intruder that was coming towards them.

"Get ready!" Mason shouted.

Bursting out of the bushes and trees were a group of large rabbits that were carrying a sled that they were attached to. On the sled was a short, brown-bearded man dressed in brownish robes and wearing a brown hat.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" The brown-bearded man shouted as the large rabbits make a sudden stop and is surrounded by the company.

"Radagast!" Gandalf sighed in relief. "Radagast the Brown." He walks over to his friend and asked. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Gandalf." Radagast explained in a panic. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."

"What's the matter?" Caroline asked.

Radagast opens his mouth to speak, but shuts it. He opens his mouth again, but closes it again. He has forgotten what he was going to say. "Oh, just give me a minute." He paused for moment and sighed. "Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue." He curls up his tongue. "Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old…" Rose noticed what the problem was and slowly pulls a stick insect out of Radagast's mouth.

"A stick insect!" Rose replied with a slight smile.

"Well, blast my beards, it is." Radagast said, looking astonished. Everyone looked flustered.

Meanwhile, Bonnie, Elena, Caroline, Damon, Stefan, and Jeremy join with Gandalf and Radagast, who were few paces away from the group.

"The Greenwood is sick." Radagast explained to them. "A great darkness has fallen over it. Nothing is growing anymore, at least nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worst are the webs."

"Webs?" Bonnie asked. "What do you mean?"

"Spiders." Radagast answered. "Giant ones."

"You kidding?" Jeremy asked. "Seriously, giant man-eating spiders."

"Yes." Radagast nodded. "It's some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a Wizard."

"What exactly happened when you discovered this?" Elena asked, looking concerned.

"I was following their trail." Radagast replied. "They came from… Dol Guldur."

"What's Dol Guldur?" Stefan asked.

"It's an old fortress that was abandoned for centuries during this part of the age." Gandalf answered.

"Gandalf, there is something you need to know about the fortress." Radagast explained nervously. "It is not… abandoned. I went inside the fortress and I felt the dark power that dwelled there. It is a power that I have never felt before in my life. It is a shadow of ancient horror."

"One kind of horror?" Jeremy asked.

"A horror that can summon the spirits of the dead." Radagast answered Jeremy's question.

"Okay, so you enter this abandoned fortress, and you notice a dark power that lingers there." Damon said. "My guess its something… evil."

"What did you see when you were in there?" Bonnie asked.

"The Necromancer!" Radagast replied quietly in horror. "He came out of the darkness, and I was forced to flee for my life. I can never imagine such terrible power that Necromancer used."

"Well, I'm glad that you came all this way from here to warn us." Stefan appreciated.

"Indeed." Gandalf spoke out after he finished smoking from his weed pipe and turned to face Radagast. "So you saw the Necromancer? Is there any proof that you can provide?"

Radagast pulls out a cloth-wrapped package and hands it to Gandalf. Gandalf unties it and opens it; upon seeing its contents, he looked very concerned.

"What is it?" Caroline asked.

"That is not from the world of the living." Radagast whispered.

Suddenly, a howl is heard in the distance.

"What was that?" April asked.

"I don't know, it sounds like a wolf." Tyler described the sound.

"A wolf?" Bilbo asked. "Are there wolves out there?"

"No, that is not a wolf." Bofur answered.

"Well, if its not a wolf, then what is it." Annabelle asked the dwarf.

From behind a nearby crag, a large dog-like beast came slowly out of the bushes and snapped a twig. The group turns to face the beast that was glaring and growling at them.

"Look out!" Meredith yelled.

The large dog-like beast roared as it leaps into the midst of the company, knocking down one of the dwarves. Before could react it shooting it with her gun, Matt and Jeremy were able to slay until two more attack from the other side. While Kili shoots one with an arrow, Rose and Lexi were able to kill the last one.

"What the hell are those things?" Vicki asked sharply.

"They look like Wolves… or Dogs to me." Tyler described them.

"They must be a hybrid or some sort." Elizabeth guessed.

"They're Warg scouts." Thorin corrected.

"Warg-Scouts?" Lexi asked.

"If they are Warg-Scouts, then that means that an Orc pack is not far behind." Thorin concluded. "We're been followed."

"An Orc pack?" Jenna asked in disbelief.

"Thorin, who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf demanded.

"No one." Thorin said.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf demanded again, even louder.

"No one, I swear!" Thorin promised.

"What it in the world is going on here?" Trevor asked.

"You're all been hunted." Gandalf declared to the company.

"Okay, that doesn't sound good." Luke said.

"What do we do?" Elena asked.

"Find the ponies!" Thorin ordered.

"We can't!" Ori informed to the company. "The ponies had bolted!"

"Oh great, so now what?" Damon asked in disgust.

"Someone has to draw them off." Stefan planned and turned to Lexi. "Lexi, come with me."

"Stefan, are you crazy?" Elena asked sharply.

"Elena, we no time to argue." Stefan spoke quickly. "You and the rest need to get to safety."

"I'll go with you too, brother." Damon offered to go along.

"No." Elena declined.

"Elena, we'll be fine." Damon promised.

"Well, I'm coming with you." Elena announced. "I'm not going to afford in losing you again since you lied."

"I'll draw them off." Radagast offered as he spoke out.

"Radagast, these are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you." Gandalf protested.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits." Radagast replied. "I'd like to see those savages try."

As Yazneg, the orc leader of the Warg riders, and his Wargs are searching through the forest for the Company, Radagast and his rabbits shoot out of the forest, and the whole Orc pack starts chasing him. Gandalf and the company watch from behind a rock as Radagast and the Wargs disappear in the distance. The Company rushes across a rocky plain. In the distance, Radagast is being chased by the Wargs. One of them crashes while trying to catch him. As the Company runs across the plain, they see the Wargs not too far from them, so they hide behind the rocks. As the Company runs, Radagast drives his sled beneath an overhanging projection of rock; he ducks, but the Orc on the Warg behind him gets knocked off.

As the chase continues, Elena stops behind a rock so that she is not seen by the Wargs. Jeremy starts to run out of the cover.

"Jeremy, no!" Elena cried as she pulls her back. "Come back!"

"Come on! Quick!" Elizabeth ordered.

As the company continues to run, Thorin turns to Gandalf.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked Gandalf, but the wizard didn't answer.

As the Warg scouts chase Radagast, one of them stops and scents the air. The dwarves take cover behind an outcropping of rock. The scout and his Warg appear on top of the outcropping, scenting the air. Thorin looks at Kili and nods; readying an arrow, Kili quickly steps out and shoots the Warg. The Warg and the orc on it fall near the company. Matt leaps on the Orc and tries to overwhelm it, but the orc shoves him off until Tyler and Mason grab hold of it, allowing Jamie to plunge Orcrist into the orc's chest. However, the of their fight carry quite far; the other Wargs and Orcs stop chasing Radagast as they hear roars and screams from behind the rocks. The Warg scouts howl as they stop pursuing Radagast and begin pursuing the Company.

Gandalf noticed and shouts. "Move! Run!"

The company runs through a grassy plain; Wargs begin to surround them from all sides.

"There they are!" Mason shouted.

"This way!" Gandalf yelled. "Quickly!"

They run for a while longer, then halt in a clearing as they see Wargs on all sides.

"There's more coming!" Trevor shouted.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin yelled.

Looking around, Gandalf sees a large rock; he runs toward it and disappears without the company realizing.

"We're surrounded!" Alaric shouted.

"Where the hell is Gandalf?" Tyler shouted.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin exclaimed.

Everyone gathers close to each other near the rock Gandalf disappeared by. Jamie pulls out Orcrist and prepare to engage with the others. Elizabeth draws out her gun, and shoot down several, but then she noticed that she was out of ammo.

"Hold your ground!" Stefan shouted.

Before anyone could engage the Orc pack, Gandalf pops up from a crack in the rock. "This way, you fools!" He shouted.

As the warg riders approach, the company slide into the crack in the rock, sliding into a cave. Thorin and Kili jump into the crack last. Everyone was in safely, but they all heard the sound of a horn and they hear fighting. The Company listens to the conflict from inside the crack. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, falls into the cave. Thorin plucks out the arrow and examines it.

"Elves." Thorin replied in disgust.

"Hey guys, I cannot see where the pathway leads." Alaric call out of the company. "Do we follow it or not?"

"Follow it, of course!" Luke said.

"Do we even have a choice?" Caroline asked.

"I don't care." Tyler said from behind. "Let's just go and see."

Soon, the company followed the path close behind.

"I think that would be wise." Gandalf said quietly.

Bilbo, Bonnie, Stefan, and Elena saw that the wizard was keeping something. However, Gandalf winked at them. The Company begins following the path. It was quite narrow, and it is a crack between two tall cliffs. At times, some of the company members were having difficulty going through. The Company managed to exit into a place where a small stream trickled down the rocks. Then, they all turn to stare in awe at a beautiful place filled with buildings and trees all around.

"The Valley of Imraldis." Gandalf announced to the company. "In the Common Tongue, it's known by a another name."

"Rivendell." Bilbo whispered as he stared at the beauty of this place.

"It's beautiful." Bonnie remarked in awe.

Everyone continued to stare at Rivendell.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea." Gandalf continued.

Thorin turns to face Gandalf with an unhappy face. "This was your plan all along… to seek refuge with our enemy."

"Thorin, you have no enemies here." Bonnie said.

"She's right!" Gandalf agreed and stared at the dwarf prince. "The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing?" Thorin asked. "They will try to stop us."

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf said. "If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me."


	8. Chapter 8

The Company walks across a bridge which leads them to the entrance of Rivendell. Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason gaze in awe at the beauty of this place, and couldn't imagine how beautiful this place was. Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie smiled in wonder and were the first to spot a couple of Elves that were strolling about. Stefan, Lexi, Damon, Alaric, Jenna, and Mason could tell that Thorin looked uneasy since he always held a deep hatred against the Elves of every nation in Middle-earth.

As the group make a sudden stop at a large rounded circle, they see two elven guards that were standing completely still and hardly said a word to the was when they spotted a young handsome dark-haired elf, who walks down a flight of stairs and greets them.

"Mithrandir." The dark-haired elf answered as he greeted Gandalf.

"Ah, Lindir!" Gandalf said.

As Lindir and Gandalf greet each other, Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason notice the dwarves murmuring amongst themselves in distrust.

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." (_We heard you had crossed into the Valley._) Lindir spoke in elvish.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond." Gandalf demanded.

Then, Lindir speaks in english. "My lord Elrond is not here." He informed.

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf asked.

Suddenly, the Elvish horns from earlier are heard again. The Company turns around and they see a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a rapid rate. That was when Thorin and the dwarves bunch up together into a tight circle with their weapons pointed outward as the mounted Elves arrive and ride in circles around the dwarves. Eventually, they stop, and one elf, whose name was Elrond, separates himself from the others.

"Gandalf!" Lord Elrond called in delight.

"Lord Elrond!" Gandalf greeted and then spoke in elvish. "Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?" (_My friend! Where have you been?_)

"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui." (_We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass._) Elrond replied in elvish as he dismounts from his horse, then he and Gandalf hug each other. "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near." He holds up an Orc sword and hands it to Lindir.

"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf replied.

As Thorin steps forward, Elrond looks upon him with recognition. "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." He greeted the dwarf prince.

"I do not believe we have met." Thorin replied.

"You have your grandfather's bearings." Elrond explained. "I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain."

"Indeed; he made no mention of you." Thorin insulted.

"Thorin." Bonnie spoke quietly next to him.

Ignoring this insult, Elrond turns to face Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason and the dwarves.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." (_Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests._) Elrond spoke in elvish.

Everyone in the company hardly understood what the elven lord was saying.

"What did he say?" Jeremy asked.

"I have no idea." Matt replied.

"I bet he was offering us an 'insult'." Gloin growled.

The dwarves grow bellicose and grip their weapons uneasily until Gandalf speaks exasperatedly.

"No, Master Gloin, he's offering all of you food." Gandalf assured the angry dwarf.

"Okay, well in that case… lead on." Damon insisted with a smirk.

Later on,Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason and the dwarves are sitting around tables in the Elven court, eating.

"I wonder why there's only green food." Luke said, chewing the lettuce.

"I thought you told me that you hated lettuce." Liv said sharply.

Luke took time to swallow his food. "I never said that I hated lettuce."

"Well what vegetables do you really hate?" Liv asked.

"Zucchini." Luke answered.

Caroline, Elena, and Bonnie were chatting happily with each other.

"So why did you drop out of Whitmore?" Bonnie asked.

"The reason I dropped out of Whitmore because I would not support Tyler and Mason's stupid football team." Caroline replied.

"Caroline, it was the opening game of the season." Elena said. "Best you come home."

"I am home!" Caroline informed. "I just signed the lease to my new apartment."

"On the border of a town that doesn't want us." Elena pointed out. "That's not home."

"Don't worry, when we get back home, we'll figure out a way how to undo the spell." Caroline assured.

"Agreed, but if I enter Mystic Falls, I will lose my powers for good." Bonnie said.

"But what happens if you step out of the no-magic zone?" Elena asked.

"My powers will still not come back." Bonnie answered. "If we are to lift the spell up that Markos and the Travelers casted, we need to find answers when we get back to Earth."

"Good, but in the meanwhile, we should probably enjoy ourselves and watch the sunset." Caroline grinned.

Jeremy, Matt, Tyler, Vicki, and Jamie were sitting together near Ori, Dori, Rose, Trevor, Fili, Kili, and Elizabeth, and Dwalin.

Matt turns to look at Jeremy who had hardly said a word. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked.

"Nah." Jeremy answered.

"You know, you haven't been talking much to Bonnie while we were here." Matt indicated.

"That's none of your concern." Jeremy said.

"Looks to me that you're unhappy with her." Vicki said.

"And I have nothing to say about it." Jeremy said sharply and leaves the table, walking away from the Elven court.

"What the hell is his problem?" Tyler asked.

"He was devastated and a bit angry that Bonnie lied, saying that when she stopped been the anchor, she would still be alive as a witch again." Matt explained. "But none of it was true."

There was a moment of silence until Tyler spoke. "Speaking of which…" Tyler took time to chew his food and swallowed it. "…Vicki told me that you signed up in joining a community protection squad."

"Yeah, its true… I… thought it would be a perfect side job for me while the Grill was been repaired." Matt said.

"Well magic doesn't work in Mystic Falls, and if I step in, I'll probably burn myself or get snap in the neck." Vicki indicated.

"Don't worry Vick, Bonnie and Caroline will work on in finding a way to reverse the spell." Matt promised. "As a matter of fact when this is over, we'll both get our jobs back when the Grill is repaired, and then we buy a new house when he get a whole truck load of gold that was left in a mountain."

"Not to mention that we have to come across a fire-breathing dragon." Jamie pointed out to them.

"Yeah, we got the whole picture." Tyler said and noticed the elven sword. "That's a nice a sword by the way."

"Thanks, I got it from that troll cave." Jamie explained and turned to see Lord Elrond sitting beside Gandalf, Thorin, Stefan, Lexi, Damon, Alaric, Jenna, Meredith, and Mason. "Excuse me." He stands up and walks over to elven lord. "Lord Elrond, I found this elven sword, and I hope to you might want to look at it."

"Let me see." Elrond demanded and Jamie passed the elven sword to him. Elrond examines the sword. "This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well." He hands Orcrist back to Jamie.

"Uh, thank you my lord." Jamie said, accepting the sword with a nod.

"Mind if you examine this one?" Gandalf asked as he passed his to Elrond.

Elrond took time to examine it. "This is Glamdring, the Foe-hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made during the goblin wars of the First Age." Then, he looks up to stare at Gandalf. "Gandalf, how did you come by these?"

"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by orcs." Gandalf explained.

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" Elrond asked.

After dinner, Tyler is walking with a glass of wine that he likes until he bumps into someone. "Oh. Watch it, di-!" He paused when he noticed it's Lexi and startles. "Whoa, sorry. Still working out the kinks of being human. My tolerance blows."

"Yeah, not to play chaperone here, but are you sure somebody with your anger issues should be drinking wine?" Lexi asked.

"My issues are under control." Tyler assured her. "I get to kick butt in a controlled environment."

"Till you get plastered and do something stupid and trigger your werewolf curse all over again." Lexi added.

"Lexi, chill. It's under control." Tyler promised. "The good news is, I won't activate my werewolf curse all over again." He shows her a ring.

"What is that?" Lexi asked.

"It's a Moonlight Ring. Don't ask, it was given to me by my nemesis Klaus, who murdered my mother." Tyler explained. "As long as my uncle and I keep these Moonlight Rings for all our lives, even if we accidentally killed someone, the curse won't affect us. These Rings are like shields."

"Good." Lexi said as she takes the wine from Tyler. "But just in case."

"Really?" Tyler asked, looking annoyed.

"You know, your uncle is very a nice guy. He seems to know how to control his angry more than you do." Lexi stated. "And ever since when I came back to life, I spent my time helping Alaric and your ex-girlfriend Vicki." She chuckled and notices that Tyler is staring at Liv. "As matter-of-fact Tyler, that girl Liv might be so into you." She walks away. "Thanks for the wine."

At nighttime, Gandalf, Bonnie, Elrond, Damon, Stefan, Thorin, Elena, Balin, and Caroline are standing in a hall in Rivendell.

"Our business is no concern of elves." Thorin argued.

"For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map." Bonnie demanded.

"It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets." Thorin said.

"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves." Gandalf said, looking a bit annoyed at Thorin's refusal. "Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-earth who can read that map."

"No." Thorin declined.

Stefan walks over to Thorin and stares directly at the unhappy dwarf. "Thorin, I insist you show Lord Elrond the map." He said, using his compulsion to force the dwarf in handing the map. At a split second, begins to hand the map to Elrond.

"Thorin, no!" Balin said, trying to stop him, but Caroline gently brushes Balin aside with a smile as Thorin hands Elrond the map.

Elrond looks at the map. "Erebor. What is your interest in this map?" He asked.

"It's mainly academic." Bonnie interrupted before Thorin was about to speak. "I mean, Gandalf told me that this map might contain some… hidden text."

Elrond walks a little bit away, looking at the map. As the moonlight hits the map, Elrond realizes something. "Cirth Ithil."

"What does that mean?" Elena asked.

"Moon runes." Gandalf replied. "An easy thing to miss."

"Well in this case, that is true; moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written." Elrond explained.

"Can you read them?" Damon asked.

Elrond leads them all to an open area outside, on the side of a cliff, with waterfalls all around.

"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago." Elrond explained to them. "It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight."

Gandalf, Bonnie, Damon, Stefan, Thorin, Elena, Balin, and Caroline look up to see the clouds that covered the moon floated away, and rays of moonlight hits the crystalline table, causing light to flow through the map which has been laid on the table. They stare in awe at the ancient runes that became visible on the map.

"What does it say?" Stefan asked.

"Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Elrond said, translating the runes.

"What is Durin's Day?" Elena asked.

"It is the start of the dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together." Gandalf answered.

"This is ill news." Thorin said, looking a bit worried. "Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us."

"We still have time." Balin assured.

"Time for what? Exactly?" Caroline asked.

"To find the entrance." Balin answered. "We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."

"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain." Elrond corrected.

"What of it?" Thorin asked.

"There are some who would not deem it wise." Elrond warned.

"Who do you mean?" Gandalf asked.

In the morning, everyone in the group spent their time wandering the halls and gardens of Rivendell. Bilbo, Lexi, and Meredith came to a certain hall where there stood a statue of a woman holding in her hands a cloth cradling pieces of a broken sword.

"What kind of sword is this?" Lexi asked.

"That is the sword of Narsil." Elrond answered as approached them.

"How was it broken?" Meredith asked.

"The sword was forged during the First Age by the Dwarven smith Telchar, the most renowned weaponsmith of Nogrod." Elrond explained. "It had considerable magic powers. Its powers were enough to tear any kind of armor or flesh." He points at a painting of a human man wielding the broken sword of Narsil to strike an armored dark-colored figure.

"Who is that?" Bilbo asked, pointing at the dark skeletal figure.

"That is the Dark Lord Sauron." Elrond replied to Bilbo's question. "After the death of Morgoth, Sauron became the second Dark Lord and strove to conquer this world and other worlds in the universe."

"That's shocking." Lexi said, gazing at the painting.

"During the Second Age, Sauron forged twenty magical rings to seduce the rulers of Middle-earth to evil." Elrond continued. "Nineteen of these rings were made by the elven-smiths of Eregion, led by Celebrimbor. These were grouped into three rings for the Elves, seven rings for the Dwarf lords, and nine rings for the Human Kings." He paused and took a moment to continue. "But there was one additional ring that Sauron forged himself at the fires of Mount Doom. It was called the One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. Sauron placed so much of his dark powers into the One Ring that he could not exist without it."

"What did he do when he forged the One Ring?" Meredith asked.

"He sought to use it… to control all others." Elrond replied and continued his story. "One by one, a few nations in Middle-earth fell to the power of the One Ring, but there were that resisted. At the very end of the Second Age, a last alliance of Elves and Humans marched into Mordor and they fought for the freedom of Middle-earth, hoping to slay Sauron and his armies that were ready to conquer. During the final battle, Elendil, who wielded the sword of Narsil, and Gil-galad fought Sauron themselves, but they failed and hope was nearly lost when the sword of Narsil broke into two pieces. Isildur, son of Elendil, took up the handle-shard of Narsi and cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Sauron was defeated, but the One Ring survived."

"Whatever happened to the One Ring?" Bilbo asked.

"After Isildur became King, he was killed in an orc ambush, and the One Ring was lost in the River Anduin. No one knows where it is now, but I know that it still lingers in the sea to the east." Elrond said.

At around nightfall, everyone in the group were having a late-night party in their quarters. Bofur and Tyler were roasting over a fire made by burning the branches. Tyler, seeing a heavy Bombur sitting on a bench and eating a large bowl of food, looks at his sausage thoughtfully.

"Hey Bombur, catch!" Tyler called.

As Bombur looks up, Tyler throws him the sausage. Bombur catches it; the weight of the sausage is just too much for the bench, and the bench breaks; Bombur, shrieking, falls to the floor, along with all his food. Bofur, Tyler, and the whole group began to laugh uproariously.


	9. Chapter 9

At the first set of dawn, the Company, led by Thorin Oakenshield, are hiking along the path away from Rivendell. Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and Bilbo were concerned since Gandalf was not coming with them, though Thorin informed that he will catch up with later on.

"Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths; lead on." Thorin informed the company.

"So where will Gandalf meet us?" Elena asked.

"He will meet us at the High Pass." Thorin replied as he walked pass her.

"Okay." Elena whispered to herself. "Let's do this."

Lexi noticed Bilbo gazing back at Rivendell, longingly.

"Bilbo." Lexi said, placing her hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "Come on. I suggest we keep up."

Thorin and Balin led the Company for a few days towards the Misty Mountains, but the trail becomes narrow and dangerous with a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other. During the crossing, a furious thunderstorm rumbled above the company, and the rocky pathway was starting to become a bit slippery beneath everyone's feet.

"Everyone, try and stay close to the face of the cliff." Stefan shouted.

As Bilbo walks, the stone beneath his feet gives away, and he starts falling into the chasm. Lexi grabs Bilbo and manages to pull him back in time.

"I got you!" Lexi said loudly.

"Thank you!" Bilbo said, expressing his gratitude to her.

"We must find shelter!" Trevor shouted up ahead.

"Watch out!" Dwalin shouted.

The Company looks up and see a massive boulder hurtling through the air. They all duck for cover when the boulder. It hits the mountainside above them, causing rocks to fall all around them as they press themselves against the mountain.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!" Jenna called out, pointing at a stone giant that rears up from a nearby mountain. It rips off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain and prepares to throw it at a another one which appears from behind the Company.

"What the hell are those things?" Damon asked, calling out between Rose and Alaric.

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur cried out.

"Take cover!" Elizabeth yelled.

The first giant throws the boulder far in the air at the second stone giant near the company, and it is hit in the head. The company brace themselves and hold on, and the rocks beneath their feet begin to give way from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks. The ground between some of the Company members splits; part of the group is on one side, and part on the other.

"Jeremy, grab my hand!" Elena shouted as she tries to grab Jeremy's hand, but it was too late.

As the two stone giants fight with their fists, the company hold on tight as they are flung around. One of the groups manages to jump to a different spot when a third stone giant appears, and it throws a boulder at the head of one of the first two. That one falls over; as the first group watches, it appears to them that the other group of the Company has been smashed to bits. The hurt stone giant loses its footing and falls down the chasm. The group rushes to the spot where the others appeared to have been crushed, but they are safe.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Tyler shouted in relief.

Suddenly, Lexi noticed that Bilbo was missing. Where's Bilbo?" She asked in a panic. "Where's the hobbit?"

"There!" Caroline shouted, pointing at Bilbo who was hanging onto the edge of the cliff with just his fingertips. Lexi and Caroline dive into the ground and try to grab Bilbo's arm, but Bilbo slips and falls another few feet before he catches another handhold. As Lexi and Caroline try to pull him up unsuccessfully, Stefan swings down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boost him up, where the others pull him to safety. Damon and Mason move in to lift Stefan back up too, but Stefan loses his grip and begins falling too; however, Damon and Mason were fast enough to pull him back up.

Once Bilbo and Stefan were back up in safety, Lexi went straight to Bilbo and hugged him.

"Are you alright?" Lexi asked while hugging him.

"I'm fine!" Bilbo assured her.

Meanwhile, Damon turns to face Thorin. "We were lucky." He said in relief. "We nearly lost our precious burglar."

"He's been lost Master Salvatore." Thorin said. "He should never have come. He has no place amongst us."

Bilbo and Lexi heard what Thorin said, but they ignore and continue to move through the path.

As the company continue to move across the path, they discovered as small cave in the cliff wall, and without hesitating, everyone managed to get inside, grateful to be someplace warm and dry.

"It looks safe enough to relax." Jamie said.

"We should stay here and wait until the storm passes." Elizabeth said.

"She's right!" Balin agreed. "It would make it difficult for us to continue taking this narrow path."

"Then we will wait." Thorin said as he walks inside the cave. "Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied."

Dwalin, Stefan, Alaric, Jenna, Meredith, and Nori search the cave with several lanterns.

"There's nothing here." Alaric said to the group.

"I think this will be our spot to rest for the day and night." Jenna said, sounding relieved.

Gloin drops a bundle of wood on the floor. "Right then! Let's get a fire started." He said as he rubbed his hands.

"Now we're talking." Luke said, feeling relieved since he was cold.

"I-I am so cold." Bonnie said while shivering.

"No, No fires, not in this place." Thorin said.

"Wait, what?" Luke asked, looking confused.

"Thorin, we're cold." Bonnie said.

"I'm sorry Bonnie, but we can't." Thorin said and turned to face the group all around inside the cave. "Get some sleep. We start at first light. Is there anyone here who would to take the first watch?"

"Caroline and I will take the first watch." Lexi said.

"Yeah." Caroline nodded.

"Alright." Thorin nodded his a head a little. "Let me know if the storm has passed."

The Company is resting in the cave while Lexi and Caroline were taking the first watch. While everyone was asleep, Bilbo, only pretending to be asleep, stealthily opens his eyes and looks around. Seeing that no one is watching, he quietly rolls up his blankets and packs his things. As Bilbo was preparing to leave, Lexi and Caroline turn around to see him tiptoeing his way over to the entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?" Caroline asked in a whisper.

Bilbo didn't say one word until Lexi gently grabs his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Lexi asked in a whisper.

Bilbo turned to look at her with a unhappy face. "Back to Rivendell." He answered.

"What?" Lexi whispered, looking surprised. "Why?"

"You know why!" Bilbo responded quietly. "What difference does it make?"

"Bilbo, you just signed a contract and you're part of this company." Lexi said. "You can't turn your back."

"And that is the reason why I made a terrible mistake." Bilbo said. "Thorin was right. I shouldn't have come."

"Thorin had no right to say that in front of you." Caroline said. "You just need to give him a chance."

"No, I can't." Bilbo said softly. "You saw what happened. I nearly got myself killed. I thought it would be the end for me."

"And we saved your life." Lexi pointed out. "Isn't that what friends do?"

"Yes." Bilbo replied in a whisper. "But that's entirely different. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out of my door."

Lexi knelt down to his eye level. "Bilbo, please… we're asking you not to go." She pleaded.

"I have to go." Bilbo said. "I'm not a dwarf or even a burglar. I'm a Hobbit. Hobbits are more of a gentle-folk, and we don't have the skill in fighting or going on dangerous adventures. And this one turned out to be very dangerous for me. You're all use to this more than I am."

"Your wrong, Bilbo!" Caroline admitted.

"No, I'm right!" Bilbo argued quietly.

"I understand how you feel, Bilbo." Lexi said. "But when its real… you can't walk away."

"Ladies, you all can handle yourselves. I'm not use to this sort of thing, running around, always on the road, never settling down, or not belonging anywhere." Bilbo stated until he noticed the look on their faces. "I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have said that."

"There's no need for you to apologize Bilbo." Caroline said with a smile.

"Bilbo, if you want to go back to your home… we won't stop you." Lexi said. "The only thing we were doing was talk some sense into you."

"Thank you!" Bilbo admired.

"We wish you all the luck in the world." Caroline said. "We really do."

"Tell Thorin that I'm not upset." Bilbo said. "Tell him that he was right. Can you promise me that?"

Lexi smiles and places her hand on Bilbo's shoulder. "We will." She promised.

As Bilbo soon turns and begins to walk away, Caroline noticed a shining light coming from Bilbo's scabbard. "Bilbo, your sword is glowing." She said.

Bilbo pull his sword partway out of its sheath and sees that it is glowing bright blue. Then, Lexi began to remember something what Gandalf had just said when she gave Bilbo the sword. The sword would glow when Orcs or Goblins were nearby.

Lexi turns to face Caroline. "Caroline, wake everyone up." She ordered. "Hurry!"

Suddenly, Thorin, Stefan, Damon, Alaric, Jenna, Elizabeth, Bonnie, Elena, Rose, and Trevor wake up and raise their heads as they hear strange machinery noises and see cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Everyone, wake up!" Alaric shouted.

Liv wakes up first and shakes Luke up.

"What's going on now?" Luke groaned.

"Matt, wake up!" Vicki shouted as she shook him.

Before anyone can react, the floor of the cave collapses downwards, and the entire company, including Lexi, Caroline, and Bilbo, falls down a chute, slides through a tunnel, and lands in a giant wooden cage. As they struggle to get up, a horde of goblins attacks them. The company fights them while the goblins come from each side of the company. Several goblins held Liv, Bonnie, Ori, Nori, Luke, and Jeremy with their knives in front of their necks, and the others were forced to surrender. Hundreds of goblins swarm around the company, taking their weapons, and drag them all away.

As the company, while some of the dwarves were kicking and yelling, were been taken, Bilbo somehow gets missed by the goblins and was left behind. Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, and Jeremy turn and sees this happen. Bilbo scampers behind some railing to hide as he watches the goblins proceed through the tunnels.

With Bilbo escaping, the goblin horde brings the company through a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges to the throne room and large, wide platform of the Great Goblin. The Great Goblin was described as a massive Goblin sitting on a throne, holding a mace topped with a skull. He is far larger than any other goblin, and he is incredibly ugly, with warts all over her swinging chin. As the weapons are piled together, the Great Goblin jumps off his throne, trampling several goblins, and approaches the Company.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" The Great Goblin demanded upon seeing all the weapons that every company member had. "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarves and Humans, Your Malevolence." One of the goblins answered.

"Dwarves and Humans?" The Great Goblin asked.

"We found them on the front porch." The smaller goblins said.

"Well, don't just stand there; search them! Every crack, every crevice." The Goblin King ordered and turned his attention to the company. "What are you doing in these parts?" He asked them.

Before Thorin began to step forward, Oin placed his hand on his shoulder. "Ah, don't worry lads, I'll handle this." He said as came to the front between Elena and Trevor.

"No tricks! I want the truth! Once and all!" The Great Goblin demanded.

Your going to have to speak up." Oin requested and showed his trumpet that was flattened. "Your boys flattened by trumpet."

"Oh for goodness, your trumpet." Vicki exclaimed.

"I'll flatten more than your trumpet!" The Great goblin growled as he began to slowly charge towards Oin, ready to crush him with his mace. Elena and Trevor stood in front to protect Oin until Luke came in front of the group.

"Wait, hold on, if you want information, then I'm the one you should talk to." Luke said and began to make up a story. "We were on the road. Actually, it's not much of a road as a path. It's more of a track. Anyway, the point is, we were on this road like a path like a track, and then we weren't. However, it turned out to be a problem because we are suppose to be at… um… Mystic Falls last Tuesday."

"Visiting distant relations!" Liv added.

"Yeah, that was what we were all doing. As a matter of fact…" Luke continued.

"Will you all SHUT UP?" The Great Goblin roared, silencing Luke, Liv, and the company. "If these dwarves and humans will not talk, or give us any explanation of why they are here, will have to make them squawk!"

The Goblins began to cheer at the thought or torturing them.

"Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker!" The Great Goblin ordered and pointed his finger straight at Meredith. "Start with her."

"Wait." Thorin shouted as he stepped forward to face the Great Goblin, who eyes began to widen in surprise.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." The Great Goblin said. "Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror; King under the Mountain."The Great Goblin bows exaggeratedly to Thorin. "Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you nobody, really."

"You two know each other?" Elena asked.

"Of course we know each other." The Great Goblin said. "Back in the old days." He chuckled. "You know I haven't forgotten how your grandfather refused to share some of his treasure to me and my people. We were asking politely, but what did he say, he said 'no'. It doesn't matter. But since you are here Thorin, I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours. A Pale Orc astride a White Warg."

Thorin looks up in surprise and disbelief. "Azog the Defiler was destroyed." He said, refusing to believe that his old enemy was alive. "He was slain in battle long ago."

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" The Great Goblin chuckled. "He is alive, Thorin. You can refuse of what I'm telling you, but once he arrives, I can't wait until he kills you for slicing off his hand." He turns to a tiny goblin sitting in basket and holing a slate. "Send word to the Pale Orc; tell him I have found his prize."

The tiny goblin writes down the message on his slate; cackling, he then pulls a lever, causing his basket to start sliding down a system of ropes and pulleys into the darkness.

An hour later, dozens of goblins began to carry massive instruments of torture on their shoulders, bringing them to the Great Goblin, who was dancing and singing lustily.

_"Bones will be shattered,_

_necks will be wrung!_

_You'll be beaten and battered,_

_from racks you'll be hung._

_You will lie down here and_

_never be found, down in the_

_deep of Goblin-town."_

Suddenly, one of the goblins was examining the weapons. He picked up Jamie's sword, Orcrist, and slides it a few inches out of its sheath. Recognizing the sword, he gasps in horror and throws down the sword. It lands in view of all the goblins. Recognizing it, the goblins howl in fear and rage as they retreat from it.

The Great Goblin runs rapidly to his throne, trampling many goblins on his way. "I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks." He spoke loudly, pointing at Orcrist. As he speaks, the goblins begin whipping the Company with ropes and leaping upon them, biting and slashing. "Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!"

"Thorin." Mason shouted as she watched the Goblins hold the dwarf prince down, and one of them pulls out his knife and prepares to behead Thorin.

Suddenly, there is a massive explosion of bright light; the sound goes muted as a shockwave rips through the area, flinging goblins in the air and destroying the torturing machines. Everyone is knocked down, including the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion has passed, most of the lights in the area have been snuffed out; in the background, a shadow with a tall pointy hat walks up. It is Gandalf, holding his staff and his sword, Glamdring. Light slowly returns to the area as the goblins and the company slowly look up, recovering from the shock.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" Gandalf shouted.

The company quickly get up and begin fighting the goblins. As goblins run at Gandalf, he kills them with his sword and staff.

"He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!" The Great Goblin cried aloud when he sees Gandalf's sword.

Everyone reach their pile of weapons and begin tossing the weapons to each other, and using them to kill dozens of goblins around them. Oin manages to reclaim his hearing trumpet, although it has been quite flattened. The Great Goblin runs at Thorin and swings his mace, but Stefan jumps forward and deflects the Great Goblin's blow, causing the Great Goblin to stumble backward and fall off the edge of his platform, falling to the depths below.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Gandalf shouted towards the company.

Cutting down the goblins around them, the company follows Gandalf as they run along a pathway leading away from the throne room. Gandalf and the group continue running through the suspended passageways of Goblin Town, with hundreds of goblins running after them. Matt and Tyler spot several goblins running at them from in front.

"Post!" Matt shouted as he, Tyler, Vicki, Mason, and Elizabeth cut a guardrail post from the side of the path and they hold it out in front of them like a massive spear. They charge at the oncoming goblins and sweep them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Matt pulls out his axe and begins knocking aside goblins The rest of the company do the same. Gloin hits one goblin who falls and lands on another suspended path, breaking the path and dropping all the goblins on it into the darkness below. The rest of the Company also fight the goblins around them with their various weapons and fighting styles. Several goblins snarl as they swing on ropes toward the dwarves.

"Cut the ropes!" Thorin shouted.

Lexi, Stefan, Meredith, Elena, Damon, Trevor, and Caroline assist in cutting the ropes that were holding a raised platform in place. As they cut the ropes, the platform falls outward, entangling the goblins swinging on the ropes.

During the fight, Fili, Kili, Luke, and Liv fight several goblins that start to shoot arrows at them. Luke and Liv took cover while Fili and Kili deflect some arrows with their swords. Together, the four grab a nearby ladder and drops it on the oncoming goblins. The others follow Fili, Kili, Luke and Liv as they run forward, pushing the ladder and the goblins it has trapped in front of them. As they approach a missing area of the path, the goblins fall down into the darkness. Then, the ladder, however, acts as a bridge for the dwarves to cross to the rest of the path. As soon as they cross it, Damon breaks the ladder, preventing the goblins chasing them from crossing it.

Gandalf and the whole company continue running through the maze-like paths; they get on a section of the path suspended by ropes from above. They slice some ropes, and the pathway swings away from the rest of the path, approaching a different path. Most of the company members managed to jump to the other path, but before the rest could, the suspended path swings back like a pendulum to where it started, and several goblins leap on. As the path swings back again, the rest of the company members and Gandalf manage to jump to the new path as well. Mason manages to cut the ropes, causing the swinging path and the goblins on it to fall into the darkness below. The whole company continues to run through the tunnels, killing all the goblins in their way. That was when Gandalf strikes a rock above them with his staff, causing the rock to fall down and begin rolling in front of the Company, squashing all the goblins in their way. Soon, they approach a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As they try to cross it, the Great Goblin suddenly breaks through from underneath the bridge and pulls himself up onto the bridge, in front of the Company. As the Company pauses, hundreds of goblins approach them from all sides.

"You thought you could escape me?" The Great Goblin sneered at the wizard. He swings his mace twice at Gandalf, causing the wizard to stumble back and almost fall until Stefan and Rose grab him from falling. "What are you going to do now, wizard?"

Gandalf leaps forward and strikes the Great Goblin in the eye with his staff.

"Ow, ow, ow!" The Great Goblin cried as he drops his mace and clutches his face in pain. Then Gandalf steps forward and slices the Great Goblin in the belly; the Great Goblin falls to his knees, clutching his belly. "That'll do it."

Gandalf again swings his sword and slices the Great Goblin's neck, causing him to fall down dead.

"That was easy." Matt said.

Suddenly, the bridge started to shake, and the section of it on which the company is standing breaks away from the rest of the bridge and starts sliding down the side of the cavern. The bridge slides at a terrific speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way. The whole group clings on, screaming in terror until the bridge slows down and lands at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying everyone in the timber and wood. Everyone starts to get up from the pile of the wreckage.

"Well, that could have been worse." Damon said, feeling relieved.

Suddenly, the heavy corpse of the Great Goblin lands on the wreckage, squishing some of the company members further.

"You've got to be joking!" Tyler shouted in pain.

"Get this ugly thing off me." Jeremy groaned in pain.

As everyone extricate themselves from the rubble, Luke looks up and sees thousands of goblins running at them. "Ah, Mr. Gandalf, incoming goblins!" He shouted to the wizard and everyone else.

"There's too many!" Elizabeth said. "We can't fight them."

"We have to get out of here." Bonnie said.

"Only one thing will save us: daylight!" Gandalf said.

"Come on everyone, on your feet. Let's go!" Lexi shouted while pulling Matt and Tyler up.

Vicki and Alaric help Jeremy get out of the rubble while Elena pulls Liv and Meredith out as well. The whole company gets up quickly, and they continue to follow Gandalf towards their exit. Reaching the exit, the sun was out, but it was about to set while Gandalf urged them all to keep running down a steep mountain slope. Eventually, Gandalf and the whole group made a complete stop and took time to relax after their escape. That was when Gandalf began to notice something after he finished counting.

"Where's Bilbo?" Gandalf asked to the company. "Where is our hobbit?"

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost!" Dwalin growled.

"I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin said.

"Don't blame me!" Dori said.

"Well, where did you last see him?" Damon asked.

"We saw him slip away when the goblins cornered us." Elena said.

"It's true!" Jeremy said. "The goblins didn't even notice him, which is considered weird."

"Stefan and I saw as well." Bonnie said.

"Well what happened exactly?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'll tell you what happened." Thorin said angrily. "Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone."

"No, he isn't." A voice said from behind the group.

Everyone looks up in shock and relief when they see Bilbo stepping out from behind the tree. Elena and Bonnie were happy, but noticed that he was missing the buttons from his coat.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf said, looking very happy to see Bilbo alive.

Lexi and Caroline were very happy to see their friend alive, and hugged Bilbo as they wrap their arms around him.

"I thought you were a dead bug in there." Lexi said.

"We were very worried, but we're now happy that you're alive and well." Caroline grinned.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?" Trevor asked.

"How, indeed?" Dwalin asked.

There is an awkward silence as Bilbo tries to think what to say. In the end, he gives a nervous laugh and puts his hands on his hips. Lexi, Gandalf, Stefan, Matt, Elena, Bonnie, and Damon were the only ones that notice that Bilbo was sliding something into his waistcoat pocket.

"Well, what does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf said, feeling pleased as everyone was.

"It matters! I want to know. Why did you come back?" Thorin asked.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have." Bilbo said and continued to speak towards Thorin and everyone else in the group. "And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

After Bilbo speaks, there is silence as teveryone thought about what Bilbo said. Thorin was clearly humbled of what Bilbo had said, but still felt disbelieved. Lexi and Caroline were very proud of him while Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves stared at Bilbo with admiration and awe.

Suddenly, the group began to hear howls, and the sound of feet charging through the forest. They turn and notice a pack of wargs that were coming straight towards them.

"Oh no." Caroline whispered in horror.

"Out of the frying pan…" Thorin started.

"… and into the fire." Gandalf finished and then shouted to everyone in the group. "Run. RUN!"

They all start running down the mountain as fast as they can while the Wargs follow them rapidly when the sun setter, and nighttime came. Soon, the wargs catch up to the group and one leaps oat Bilbo. Bilbo ducks behind a rock and the Warg's jaws snap in the air over his head. The Warg lands in front of him. Growling, it charges at him, but Elena quickly jumped in front and plunged her sword into the Warg's forehead, saving Bilbo's life.

Elena turns to Bilbo and grabs his arm. "Come on." She said as she pulled Bilbo with her.

Three more Wargs catch up, but they were quickly dispatched. Matt and Tyler were able to kill the first one, Meredith and Elizabeth kill the second, and Stefan and Damon killed the third.

The Company reaches a large outcropping of land with a few large tress growing on it. They notice that the road ended at the edge of a cliff and are trapped there.

"Oh, boy." Jeremy whispered in shock.

"We are so dead." Luke said to himself.

"Anything." Caroline called out.

"It's the end of the line." Luke shouted back. "There's no way off this cliff."

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb!" Gandalf shouted as he climbs to the top of the furthest tree.

Following Gandalf's orders, the company began to climb the trees. Dwalin and Mason boosts Luke and Balin up. Lexi, Rose, and Trevor helped Bombur climb up while Elena placed Bilbo on her back and she climbs at the very top with the might of her strength. Bilbo couldn't imagine how strong she was for a girl, but he never noticed that she was in fact a vampire. Jeremy, Matt, Vicki, Tyler, and Liv managed to climb up to safety with the rest doing the same when the main body of Wargs and Warg Riders approach.

Dozens of Wargs circle the trees in which the Company members are perched. Gandalf reaches out with his staff and picks up a moth sitting in the same tree as him. Bringing the moth close to his face, he whispers to it; he then blows it gently, causing it to flutter away. The Wargs cease their growling and turn as a white-colored Warg approached slowly with a large orc. This one was much different than all the other orcs around him. His skin was completely white with lined scars all over his face and torso. His left arm was missing, having been replaced by a metallic prosthetic arm. The pale orc also carried a mace on his right hand. Bonnie, Damon, and the others saw that Thorin was staring at the pale orc in shock and couldn't believe who it was.

"Azog!" Thorin whispered in shock.

"I can't believe it." Damon whispered to himself. "The ugly goblin was actually telling the truth."

As his White Warg growls, Azog strokes it and talks ominously in a different language that neither the Company understood.

"Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" (_Do you smell it? The scent of fear?_) Azog asked to his warg and turned to face Thorin. "Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob." (_I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain._)

"It cannot be." Thorin said, looking with pain and grief.

Then, Azog turns to speak towards his warg riders. "Kod, Toragid biriz." (_That one is mine._) He instructed. "Worori-da!" (_Kill the others!_)

At his command, the Wargs leap forward and try to climb the trees. They jump as high as they can, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shake violently at the assault, and the company members struggle to hold on.

"Sho gad adol!" (_Drink their blood!_) Azog said, hoping to watch the wargs kill the company members, as well as Thorin, once they fell off the trees.

With the weight of the Wargs climbing it, the furthest tree from the edge of the cliff, which Bilbo and several other dwarves are in, gets uprooted from the ground and begins leaning wildly. As more Wargs grab onto it, the tree tips over and lands on the next tree. The company members jump from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree as well tips over; like dominoes, all the trees begin falling over. Eventually, all the company members manage to jump onto the last tree on the very edge of the cliff. This tree was considered to be the biggest than the other trees that had fallen from the ground.

"We're going to die." Luke muttered to himself. "We are so going to die."

"What the hell are we going to do?" Tyler asked. "We can't just sit around and think."

"Does anyone have a plan?" Vicki asked. "Cause I'm really in a good mood in killing wargs."

Elena, Damon, Caroline, and Stefan noticed Gandalf holding a pinecone and uses his staff to set it on fire. Then, the wizard throws it down amid the Wargs, who retreat in fear of the fire. Gandalf lights two more pinecones and throws one down to Fili. Then, he lights a few more and passes them to Luke, Tyler, Matt, and to everyone else on the tree. Now, every company member gather a lot of pinecones that were set on fire, and began throwing the flaming pinecones like missiles at the Wargs. All the area around the tree gets set on fire, forcing the Wargs to retreat a distance. At least one Warg gallops away with its fur alight. Azog roars in anger and frustration as the company members cheer.

"I don't think Azog looks very happy." Damon said.

"The fire won't last for long, Damon." Stefan said. "We have to figure out a Plan B."

"What is our Plan B, Stefan?" Caroline asked.

"Try to give me some time to think, and we'll have one." Stefan promised.

As everyone continued to cheer, their cheers turn into cries of fear as the roots of the tree they are in start to give way; the tree tips precariously over the edge of the cliff, but comes to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. Gandalf looks down and sees the ground far, far, below.

"Hold on!" Meredith shouted.

Everyone in the group tries to hold on as they get flung around. Suddenly, Ori loses his grip on the tree and falls, but manages to grab on to Matt's leg.

"Your pulling me down." Matt groaned loudly, trying to hold on to the branch and tries to call for her sister. "Vicki!"

Vicki turns and sees that her brother was in trouble. "Matt!" She shouted in horror.

"I can't hold on!" Matt shouted.

"Hold on, Matt!" Mason shouted. "We're coming!"

Suddenly, Matt loses his grip on the tree as well and falls.

"Matt!" Vicki screamed.

That was when Rose was fast enough to grab Matt's arms in time. Matt quickly grabbed hold over Rose's arm while Mason, Alaric, and Vicki try to help pull them up. That was when Luke loses his grip on the tree as well and falls, but manages to grab Liv's leg.

"What are you doing?" Liv shouted at her brother who was trying to hold on to her leg. "Your pulling me."

"Uh, Mister Gandalf." Luke called out to the wizard. "A little help here."

Liv suddenly loses her grip on the tree as well and falls, but Gandalf quickly swings his staff down, allowing Liv to grab the end of it.

"Luke! Liv! Hold on!" Elena shouted.

While everyone was holding on, Thorin stares at Azog with hate and fear or killing his grandfather and making his father suffer. The dwarf prince managed to pull himself up, and draws out his sword. He slowly walks down the leaning trunk as Bonnie and the others look on. Thorin runs through the burning ground towards Azog and his White Warg. Damon noticed Azog spreading his arms wide with a smug grin on his face and growls as Thorin runs with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouches, then roars as his Warg leaps at Thorin. Thorin tries to swing his sword, but the Warg hits him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground. Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves were completely shocked of what they saw while Liv was struggling to hold on to Gandalf's staff.

"Help!" Luke cried out.

As Thorin gets back on his feet, panting, Azog and his White Warg wheel around as they charge at Thorin again. Azog swings his mace and smashes Thorin in the chest before the dwarf prince could react in fighting the pale orc. Thorin is brutally flung to the ground by the impact.

"Nooo!" Balin cried.

Azog roars in excitement while Bilbo slowly stands up on the tree. Bonnie stands up as well and was more shocked when White Warg clamps its jaws around Thorin, causing the dwarf to yell in pain.

"Thorin!" Jenna cried in horror.

"Nooo!" Dwalin yelled as he tried to get off and help his fallen comrade, but the tree branches he was holding on to started to brake, and the dwarf was swinging precariously over the edge and preventing him from reaching Thorin.

As the White Warg holds Thorin in its mouth, Thorin manages to hit its head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg throws Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin lands heavily, his sword falling out of his hand.

Azog turns to one of the warg riders. "Biriz torag khobdudol." (_Bring me the Dwarf's head._) He ordered.

The orc complied to his master's command, and jumps off his Warg. The orc warrior slowly approaches Thorin with his sword open. Bilbo and Bonnie exchange looks at each other, and they knew what they had to do. Lexi noticed what they were doing, and slowly climb up. The orc approaches Thorin and places its sword against his neck. As the orc raises his sword and was ready to decapitate Thorin in order to honor his master in the privilege of killing the dwarf prince, Bilbo throws himself at the orc and knocks him over. As they fight, Bilbo manages to stab and kill the orc. The warg charges towards the Hobbit, but Bonnie held out her sword and slashed the warg before it could go for the kill. As Azog growls in anger towards Bilbo and Bonnie, the two stand in front of the unconscious Thorin and protect him at all cost. Azog smiles in hatred and ordered his fellow warg riders to kill them.

Bilbo and Bonnie were ready to defend themselves as a number of Warg riders approach them, snarling. That was when, Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Lexi, Alaric, Stefan, Caroline, Elena, Jeremy, Matt, Ori, Tyler, Mason, Dori, and Gloin who have managed to get off the tree, plow into the Wargs from the side and start fighting them. In the confusion, Bonnie leaps forward, wounding a warg and slashed an orc before it could make its strike. Bilbo yells out and joins the fight until he bumps into the White Warg. Bilbo was thrown backwards to the ground and was at the mercy of Azog and his White Warg. Lexi walks in front to protect Bilbo, holding her sword in front of the White Warg.

"If you want to kill him, you're going to have to go through me." Lexi said, glaring at the Pale Orc.

During the fight, the moth returns to Gandalf when Liv slips from the end of Gandalf's staff, and both she and Luke fall toward the ground far below. That was when they were saved by gigantic eagle swoops out of nowhere and catches them on its back. Liv and Luke couldn't believe what they were on, but they held on as they are carried swiftly away. Several more Eagles appear and join the fray. Some grab Wargs and Orcs and toss them over the cliff. Others knock down trees, which crush the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fans the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burns the Wargs. As Azog snarls in frustration, he turns to see one eagle that gently grabbed Thorin and his sword in its talons and flies away. As Thorin is lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slips off his arm and lands on the ground. Caroline noticed it, and grabbed the oaken branch until she and Elena were snatched off the ground. Another eagle heads straight for Bilbo and Lexi as it snatches them off the ground. It then throws them toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. The rest of the Eagles proceed to snatch all the company members from every spot, including the tree. When only Gandalf is left in the tree, the roots give way and the tree falls off the edge of the cliff. Gandalf leaps clear of it and is caught by an Eagle. As the Eagles fly away with all the Company, Azog and the few remaining Warg Riders growl in anger and frustration.


	10. Chapter 10

As the Eagles soar through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes, Thorin lies unconscious in one Eagle's talons. Eventually, the Eagles approach a massive rock structure that was shaped like a bear. The Eagle that carried Thorin gently deposits him and his sword on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Another Eagle lands on the Carrock and Gandalf slides off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin. Meredith follows after him since she was a Doctor, and would do anything to help someone who was badly hurt.

"Thorin! Thorin." Gandalf called him.

"He's not responding." Meredith said as she tried to help the dwarf.

When the others arrived and all gathered around with worried faces, Gandalf placed his hand on Thorin's face and whispers a spell. The spell caused Thorin to open his eyes when he gasps for air.

Thorin turned his eyes towards Gandalf. "The halfling?" He said weakly about Bilbo.

"It's all right, Thorin." Meredith smiled in relief. "Bilbo is here. He's safe."

By now, Thorin had trouble trying to stand up until Dwalin, Mason, Kili, and Matt help him up. However, once he's up, he shrugs them off and approaches Bilbo.

"Your welcome." Matt murmured.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin asked, advancing until he is face to face with Bilbo, who looks worried and frightened.

"Okay, that's it, I'm not going to hear this anymore." Caroline murmured to herself since she was fed up of Thorin accusing Bilbo, but Lexi and Stefan prevent her from doing it. That was when something happened.

"I've never been so wrong in all my life!" Thorin said as he grabs Bilbo and embraces him deeply. The others cheer happily and slap each other on the back. Bilbo was quite surprised by this, and hugged Thorin back. "I am sorry I doubted you."

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar." Bilbo replied when he looked at Gandalf and Balin.

As everyone chuckles, the Eagles fly away, screeching. Thorin looks beyond Bilbo and sees something; he strides forward, and the others follow his gaze.

"Is that what I think it is?" Luke asked when he gazed at the distance.

"It's the mountain!" Bonnie replied happily and turned to Elena and Caroline. "We're getting close."

"Yes we are." Gandalf said. when he stared at the outline of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. "Erebor—The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth."

"Our home." Thorin whispered in joy.

That was when a bird cheeps and flies by.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain." Oin said, while pointing at the bird.

"That's a thrush." Stefan corrected the dwarf.

"But we'll take it as a sign - a good omen." Thorin said.

"Yep, let's just hope the worst is behind us." Jeremy said from behind the dwarf prince.

Vicki turns to Gandalf. "Gandalf, can't the Eagles just fly us over to the mountain?" She asked.

"I'm afraid not, my dear." Gandalf explained. "Gwaihir and the Great Eagles have done their job. We can manage from here."

"But when will this… Durin's Day start?" Jenna asked.

"In exactly twelve days!" Gandalf answered.

"Then we are wasting time." Damon said. "We have mountain to get too."

"But for now, we must rest." Gandalf said. "W will continue on foot on the set of dawn."

The next day at dawn, the Company continues their journey towards the mountain, and spent several days in trying to avoid from been spotted by Orcs and Wargs that were led by Azog the Defiler. While finding several hiding spots, the Company had to eat light, and continue to move on to the Lonely Mountain before Durin's Day happens. While Bilbo was tasked to scout the area incase if the Company was been tracked by Azog and his followers, everyone waited silently until he returned.

"Do you think it was a bad idea to send him out by himself?" Elena asked.

"I'm sure Bilbo will handle himself." Gandalf promised her.

"Let's hope for the best." Lexi said. "Cause if Bilbo is not back, then we have to find him."

"Don't worry Lex, he'll be fine." Stefan promised.

Suddenly, the bushes started to rustle, and everyone armed themselves until Bilbo emerged. Lexi sighed in relief.

"Anything?" Lexi asked the hobbit who was panting.

"Let me catch my breath." Bilbo panted and took time to breathe.

"Just take it easy, and breathe as much as you can." Lexi said.

"Bilbo, did you see anything?" Alaric asked.

"Yes I did." Bilbo replied. "We're been tracked by the Defiler and his pack."

"Okay, that's not good." Jenna said.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked.

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it." Bilbo reported.

"Did they pick up your scent?" Rose asked.

"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem." Bilbo informed.

"What kind of problem?" Matt asked.

"There is something else out there." Bilbo said, looking a bit worried.

"What did you just see?" Caroline asked.

"A bear!" Bilbo replied. "A huge, or should I say, a gigantic black-furred bear that I've never seen in my life."

"Are you telling me that you just encountered a Beorning?" Gandalf asked.

"What? No!" Bilbo said.

"What's a Beorning?" Elizabeth asked.

Gandalf turns and walks a few steps away from her. "There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge." He stated.

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Trevor asked.

"Neither." Gandalf answered. "He will help us, or he will kill us."

"Kill us." Liv exclaimed. "Are you saying that a gigantic bear would try and help us or kill us. That's insane!"

"Well what choice do we have?" Luke asked.

A roar splits the night behind them.

"Way to go for saying that." Liv said sarcastically.

"Look if its a bear, why should we be worried about this?" Damon asked. "I'm sure we can handle it."

"No!" Gandalf said. "You will not harm this beast."

"Why not?" Damon asked.

Then, they heard the roar, and this time it was much closer to where the Company was.

"Come on!" Gandalf yelled and beckoned them to follow him. "We must move now!"

As the Company runs through a forest, they heard howls and realized that Azog and his Orc followers were racing through the forest too. Both groups stop suddenly when an ear-splitting roar sounds nearby.

"Okay, I do not like the sound of that." Luke said to himself beside his sister.

"Come on!" Liv said as she pulled her brother, urging him to keep on running.

As the dwarves panic and run, Bombur looks on in shock until he is pulled along by Rose and Trevor. Running down the path, they burst out of the forest into an open field. Up ahead, they spotted a large house which was surrounded by a hedge in the middle of a plain. The Company didn't stop and they ran across the plain to reach the house in the hedge. Bonnie saw that the wooden door was much taller, and began to notice that the person who lived there must've been taller than any other man.

"Come on, get inside!" Gandalf shouted.

As they run to the front door of the house, Mason and Alaric were the first to get to it, but noticed that it was locked. The rest of the company members catch up and begin throwing themselves against the door, trying to open it.

"Can you get this door open?" Vicki asked.

Suddenly, they all hear another roar, and they all look back to see a massive bear that bursts out from the edge of the forest and was running toward them. Elena saw how big this bear was than any other one in her world. The fur was completely black, and its claws were like hooks to catch its prey.

"That is a very big bear that I ever seen before." Jenna said next to Rose.

"Open the door!" Gandalf yelled.

"Hurry!" Elizabeth shouted.

"Your doing it all wrong." Liv exclaimed.

Then, Stefan pushed through the Company members against the door, and successfully managed to raise the exterior bolt which opened the doors. The entire company bolts inside the house and they try to slam the door shut, but the bear has already gotten its head in the door. As the bear roars and tries to push the door open, everyone had to press against the door. With a final heave, they managed to close the door and drop the bolt across it.

"That was close." Jeremy sighed in relief.

"What the hell was that?" Tyler asked loudly.

"That...is our host." Gandalf said.

"Wait a minute. Our host?" Caroline asked, looking surprised with disbelief. "A host who tried to kill us?"

Everyone turns to Gandalf in bewilderment.

"His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." Gandalf explained. "Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

"Well, that sounds very nice." Liv remarked sarcastically.

Matt peaks out a crack in the door. "I think its gone!" He declared.

"Don't even think of opening that door Matt cause what if your wrong." Vicki warned.

"Hey, you have a good sense of hearing Vick." Jeremy teased. "You should know already."

Vicki turns to face Jeremy with a glaring face and grabs him by the shirt. "I don't admire that."

"Well I can hear the bear leaving." Caroline said.

"Really? Let's check!" Ori said.

Dori pulls him away from the door. "Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell." He assumed.

"Your sure about that?" Jamie asked while he held Orcrist in his hands.

"Do not worry Dori; he's under no enchantment but his own." Gandalf promised and turned towards the others. "Alright now, we should all get some rest until tomorrow. We'll be safe here tonight."

"I hope." Luke whispered to himself.

"This place is crawling with mice." Liv said.

"And they look kinda cute." Caroline remarked when she picked up one.

Night has fell upon the house while Beorn was guarding near the border of the forest to prevent Azog and his followers from approaching the company. Everyone in the house was fast asleep. Bonnie and Elena wake up quietly as they peek out of their blankets and notice Beorn, who was already in his human form, entered his house to sit down and rest for all his hard work. They noticed that he was much taller than any dwarf, elf, human, witch, werewolf, or vampire. He was even taller than Gandalf. His height was up to 10 feet.

In the morning, Beorn treated the company with breakfast. The table was filled with honey, grains, bread, fruit, ham, milk, and animal blood. It seems that Beorn knew that Stefan, Damon, Caroline, Elena, Alaric, Jenna, Vicki, Rose, Trevor, and Lexi were vampires. The ten immortal vampires were delighted by this when they drank a lot of the blood from their large, wooden cups. Bilbo, Gandalf, Bonnie, Jamie, Liv, Luke, Meredith, Mason, Matt, Tyler, Jeremy, Elizabeth, Thorin, and the dwarves were already served with their food and drinks that Beorn placed on his large wooden table.

While Beorn was pouring milk from a pitcher into Fili's cup, he turned to look at Thorin. "So you are the one they call Oakenshield." He addressed the dwarf prince. "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

"He is hunting me because he wants to end the line of Durin's Folk." Thorin answered.

"I see." Beorn said as he poured milk into Bonnie's cup.

"How do you know so much about Azog?" Bonnie asked him.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved." Beorn explained.

"Oh my god." Bonnie said, looking horrified and feeling sorry about him. "That's… terrible!"

"Horrible it was." Beorn continued. "We were not used for work. We were used for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse the Defiler. Although, I, along with two of my sons and several skin-changers were able to escape."

"Are there still others that survived?" Luke asked.

"There are still some that dwell in the mountains, but now they remain hidden." Beorn continued his explaination until he sat down on his enormous arm chair. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"

"Before Durin's Day falls." Liv added. "We got that already."

"You are running out of time." Beorn said.

"Where are we suppose to head to?" Meredith asked.

"We are going to head to the great forest of Mirkwood." Gandalf replied.

"Gandalf, a darkness lies upon that forest." Beorn warned and explained about Mirkwood. "There are fell things that creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Gundabad and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe." Gandalf assured.

"Safe? The Wood-elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous." Beorn assumed. "But it matters not."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn warned and stands up from the table to face Thorin. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." He growled as he picks up a little mouse that had been scampering on the table and holds it gently. "But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

"Well, we were wondering if we could… borrow some of your horses to help us get across the plains." Stefan said.

"If you wish to borrow them, then so be it." Beorn said. "You all have to leave at once. You must go while you have the light. I fear that the Orc Hunters are not far behind."


	11. Chapter 11

A few hours later, the Company quickly saddle and ride Beorn's horses and ponies. They were given fresh supplies by their host, who wished them luck. As they ride away, Beorn looks around for danger incase if the Defiler and his hunters were on their trail. The company rides rapidly across the land, slowing to a stop as they approach a looming, gloomy-looking forest. Gandalf dismounts and walks into the edge of the forest through an ancient archway.

"The Elven Gate." Gandalf said and turns to the others. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood." He indicated by pointing his staff at the ancient elven stones on the ground.

"Well no sign of the Orcs." Tyler said in relief. "We have luck on our side."

"Not for long, we have to keep moving." Thorin said behind him.

Gandalf squints as he sees something in the distance. It was Beorn, in his bear-form, watching them from a distant ridge. "Set the ponies loose." He called. "Let them return to their master."

Everyone slowly dismounts and began taking their supplies off their horses and ponies. After that, they would let them go in order to return to Beorn's home safely across the plains.

Luke approaches the forest on foot. "This forest looks… sick, as if a disease lies upon it." He said, describing the forest.

"Is there no way around?" Caroline asked.

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." Gandalf answered.

Luke didn't like the sound of it until Jeremy came by.

"Are you afraid to go in there?" Jeremy asked.

"For instance… yes I'm afraid to go in there." Luke answered. "I'm afraid that I might succumb to this sort of sickness that lies in that forest."

"Well, I'm not." Jeremy said. "What's so bad about that?"

"Not to mention, we have a few witches and a wizard who could protect us from this so-called sickness." Vicki smiled while carrying her supplies.

"I can feel the darkness that lies in there." Bonnie said as she approached near the border of Mirkwood. She slowly turns to face Liv and Elena, who both looked concerned. "I think its a bad idea to go in there."

"There has to be another way to get to the mountain." Elena believed.

"Mirkwood is the only way." Gandalf said as he follows a path a few feet further into the shadows and approaches a plant-covered statue. Gandalf approaches the statue apprehensively, then quickly yanks off the vines, revealing a painted-on eye that was colored red.

As the company unladen the horses and ponies altogether, Elizabeth was just about to finish unsaddling Gandalf's horse when the wizard emerges from the forest.

"Not my horse! I need it." Gandalf shouted.

As Gandalf strides forward, the Company looks up and murmurs in surprise and despair.

"Where are you going?" Alaric asked.

"I must head to the High Fells of Rhudaur." Gandalf said. "It's an important business that I must do."

"So your leaving us again?" Damon asked in disgust. "Great!"

"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf said to him.

"Gandalf, we are running out of options here." Rose said. "You can't just leave us. What if we need you incase if we ran into the… Wood-elves?"

"Do not worry, Rose." Gandalf assured her. "As long as you and everyone else in the company stays on the path, you'll reach the mountain in no time." He walks over to Bilbo, who seemed dejected. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire."

"I have." Bilbo said. "Things have changed ever since I went on this dangerous adventure for the first time in my life."

"Well, I'm sure you are about to see what is about to come." Gandalf said and begins walking toward his horse.

Lexi walks over to him and noticed that Bilbo looked uncomfortable when he stuck his hands in his pocket. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I was going to tell you; I...found something in the Goblin tunnels." Bilbo stammered.

"What did you find?" Lexi asked quietly.

Bilbo doesn't answer immediately, but fumbles with something in his pocket. He stood silent for several more seconds until he finally responds. "My courage." He said as he removed his hand from his pocket.

"Good." Lexi admired him. "You'll need it."

As Gandalf mounted his horse, Stefan comes up to him.

"Gandalf, where will we meet you?" Stefan asked.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor." Gandalf instructed and turned to Thorin. "Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." Then, he spoke to the entire group. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray?" Luke asked. "What does that mean?"

"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf warned as he wheels his horse and rides away. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"

Everyone turn to face the forest of Mirkwood.

"Come on everyone." Alaric said to the group. "Let's make our move."

"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin said excitedly.

The Company then follows Alaric and Thorin into Mirkwood. Inside the forest, trey followed the paved path that started at the Elven Gate. As Thorin leads, he makes a sudden stop and thumped his sword on the ground. He noticed the path turns a corner.

"The path goes this way." Thorin informed.

As the company had maintained success in following the Elven Path through the forest, they notice how the path twists and turns over all sorts of terrain such as bare ground, high ledges, fallen tree trunks, and more.

Meanwhile, Mason thumped his sword on the ground to inf the paving stones of the trail. "This way." He beckoned the group.

"Air. I need air." Luke moaned.

"Will you stop complaining Luke?" Liv asked, feeling annoyed by his brother's words.

"My head… it's spinning." Vicki said, feeling that her head was spinning and found it hard to keep on her feet without stumbling.

Suddenly, the company made a complete stop in front of Matt and Tyler.

"Tyler! Matt! Why have we stopped?" Elizabeth asked.

"The path...it's disappeared!" Tyler reported.

"We've lost the path!" Matt said.

"Oh great!" Damon groaned. "What are we going to do now?"

"Perhaps, we failed to listen to what the wizard has said." Caroline said in disapproval. "Stay on the path, or we will be lost in this forest forever."

"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin ordered the group quickly.

The Company spent nearly an hour in trying to search for the path, but it was nowhere to be found. They were wandering through the forest as it began to infect them mentally, and they stagger about.

"I don't remember this place before." Jenna said. "None of it's familiar."

"It's got to be here." Alaric said.

"What hour is it?" Matt asked.

"I don't know." Vicki exclaimed. "I don't even know what day it is."

"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Trevor asked.

Everyone muttered and rambled as they wander about while Luke absentmindedly plucks a spiderweb. As he did, it vibrates, and the vibrations continue through the various linked spiderwebs and far off into the forest. Luke thought it was cool and plucked the web again until he hears a strange whispering noise.

"What was that?" Luke asked.

"What's what?" Elena asked.

"That whisper!" Luke replied when he heard it again. "Listen! Can you hear it?"

"No!" Elena shook her head.

"Elena, your a vampire, and vampires have good sense of hearing." Luke stated. "I think we're not alone in this dark, gloomy forest."

"My ears are completely open, Luke." Elena assured. "I don't hear anything. The only thing I hear is arguing."

Luke sighed in disgust and continued to move on.

Meanwhile, Ori leans down and picks up a tobacco pouch. "Look." He said, holding the pouch.

"A tobacco pouch." Dori said. "There's dwarves in these woods."

Bofur takes the pouch from Ori. "Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less." He assumed. "This is exactly the same as mine."

"Because it is yours." Liv exclaimed at the dwarf. "We're going round in circles. We are lost. Lost in a forest where there is no way out."

"This was a bad idea to come here." Bonnie said. "We should've thought of something else before we even went in here."

"We can't be lost." Stefan spoke behind her. "We have to keep heading east."

"But which way is east?" Meredith asked. "We've lost the sun."

"Look, we need to think this through, and find out where we are going." Alaric suggested.

"Alaric's right!" Damon agreed. "Let's just take a break, and rest for a while until we finally find out a way out of this mess."

As the whole company began bickering indistinctly, Bilbo was having a hard time thinking, despite the fact that the sickness in the forest was taking affect over him and every company member. Then, he looks up and sees a bit of sun through the tree canopy far above him. He speaks quietly, and no one else can hear him over the bickering.

While Bilbo climbs up one of the trees nearby, and doesn't notice the masses of spiderwebs all around him, everyone was arguing on which way to go. That was when Stefan and Lexi stand apart, listening. They hear the strange whispering sound that Luke heard earlier and mutter to themselves.

"Enough! Quiet! All of you!" Lexi shouted at the group and spoke in a calm voice. "I think we're being watched."

Everyone looks around the forest until they began to hear the same voice as well.

"We're not alone." Stefan said.

"Do you think its the Elves?" Jenna asked.

Alaric turned to see a web that covered a branch. "No… it's something else." He observed the web. "Keep your eyes open for anything."

Suddenly, Luke heard a thumping noise that was coming from behind him. He steps forward, only to trip over a spiderweb and fall to the ground. As he stood up, he watched in the sight of horror as the web parts reveal a massive spider. As the spider opens its fangs and hisses at him, Luke yells and runs to warn the company members.

"Spiders!" Luke yelled to the group. "Giant Spiders!"

The group heard him, and they notice that dozens of gigantic spiders that were climbing down the trees.

"Arm yourselves!" Thorin bellowed around the group.

As Thorin and his entire company wield their weapons, they immediately charge against the gigantic spiders and slay a number of them. During the fight, Bombur is knocked to the floor by a spider as it stands over to bite him. Together, Matt, Damon, Tyler, Gloin, Bofur, Jeremy, and Vicki grab each of the spider's legs.

"Pull!" Matt yelled.

Matt, Damon, Tyler, Gloin, Bofur, Jeremy, and Vicki successfully manage to pull the spider's legs right off its body The dismembered body of the spider lands on Bombur.

While everyone was still fighting, Liv and Luke tried as much to stay together while more spiders were climbing down. Suddenly, two spiders managed to grab Luke and Kili.

"Luke!" Liv screamed in horror. She tried rush to her brother's aid until two spiders come in front of her. She holds her sword in front of the two until Stefan and Trevor come in front and slay the two spiders.

"Please, you got to save my brother." Liv yelled at Stefan and Trevor while they were pulling her away.

"This way!" Thorin yelled at the company members. They all follow Thorin through the forest as more spiders jump down on threads of silk in front of them. Thorin, Jamie, and the others raise their swords in preparation to fight, but they pause and notice something on the very top of the trees. They all spotted a blonde-haired elf that was running through the treetops, and then swings down a spider's silk in order to land on it and kill it. He slides on the forest floor under the spider facing Thorin, slicing it in half, and comes up kneeling with an arrow nocked in his bow and pointed at Thorin. Before Thorin could react, the entire company was completely surrounded by hundreds of Wood-elves that appeared out of nowhere, all with drawn bows aimed at them.

"Do not think I won't kill you, dwarf." The blonde-haired elf threatened the dwarf prince. "It would be my pleasure."

"Thorin, just do what he says." Stefan quietly implored him as he dropped his weapon to the ground.

Lexi dropped her weapon as well and patted Damon to surrender. "Damon, let's just do what they say." She ordered.

"Whatever." Damon sighed in disgust and did the same as everyone else.

"Help!" Luke cried.

"Luke!" Liv yelled out for him.

Fili also heard his brother yell. "Kili!" He yelled as well.

Luke and Kili were both been dragged by the foot by two spiders that were willing to have their meal. As five more spiders swirl around to join the other two, two female elves run through the forest. The taller one had red hair, and the short one had silvery dark-blond hair. The red-haired elf killed at least three spiders with her bow and knife while the dark-blond haired elf kills both spiders that were pulling Luke and Kili. While the two female elves were killing the spiders in front, Luke and Kili turn and notice two more spiders approaching towards them.

"Ah, excuse me, we got incoming spiders." Luke shouted to the two female elves.

"Quick, throw us a dagger!" Kili demanded quickly.

"If you think we're giving you weapons, you're mistaken." The blond-haired elf said as she and the red-haired elf threw their knives, killing both spiders that were about to Kili and Luke. After the spiders were dead, Kili and Luke exchange looks and stared at the elves in amazement.

Meanwhile, the Wood-elves approach the company, and were ordered by their leader to start searching them. The leader of the elves approaches to Meredith. He takes her sword from her.

"Who might you be?" The blonde-haired elf asked.

"Meredith! Meredith Fell!" Meredith said calmly with slight smile since she saw how cute he was.

"And who are you suppose to be?" Damon asked.

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil and Prince of the Woodland Realm." Legolas glared at him. Then, he turns away and walks over to Gloin. He pulled a picture frame with two pictures out of Gloin's pocket.

"Hey! Give it back! That's private!" Gloin exclaimed.

Legolas looks at a picture of a dwarf. "Who is this? Your brother?" He asked.

"That is my wife!" Gloin glared at Legolas.

Legolas looks at the other picture, which is of a dwarf child. "And what is this horrid creature? A goblin mutant?" He asked rudely.

"That is my son, Gimli." Gimli growled. "How dare you say those words about my own family."

Legolas raises his eyebrow at Gloin in contempt and walks away from the angry dwarf. Then, he turns to face the two female elves that just rescued Luke and Kili, and brought them to join the others. "Tauriel! Lianna! Gyrth in yngyl bain?" (_Are the spiders dead?_) He asked in elvish.

"Ennorner gwanod in yngyl na nyryn." (_Yes, but more will come._) Tauriel replied in elvish.

"Engain nar." (_They're growing bolder._) Lianna warned in elvish.

He nods his hand until one of the elves hands Jamie's sword, Orcrist. Legolas inspects the sword while Jamie and the others stare at him. "Echannen i vegil hen vin Gondolin." (_This is an ancient Elvish blade._) He spoke in elvish, viewing it in remark. "Magannen nan Gelydh." (_Forged by my kin._) Then, he turns to face Jamie and speaks in english to him. "Where did you get this?"

"It was given to me." Jamie answered in a soft voice.

Legolas glares at him and points Orcrist at Jamie. "Not just a thief, but a liar as well." He then turns to face the elves and spoke roughly in elvish. "Enwenno hain!" (_Take them!_)

The elves begin to lead the company away and take them all to the Woodland Realm, one of the largest cities in Rhovanion.

"Damon, where's Bilbo?" Elena asked Damon in a whisper.

"I don't know." Damon whispered back.

Stefan and Lexi look around, but see no sign of their hobbit companion.

The Wood-elves lead the company over a bridge and into the Woodland Realm. After they pass through, Legolas addresses the guards to shut the gate to prevent any enemies from entering the Woodland Realm. With the gates shut, the company is led through the raised wooden walkways of the Woodland Realm. Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves looked around, and saw that the entire place was built out of tree roots in a huge subterranean cavern. They also saw many elves at the bottom of the large cavern. Eventually the company was brought to the throne room where the Elven King Thranduil sits on his throne.

As the elves brought the company, Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason could tell that the dwarves, except Kili, Ori, Dori, and Balin, were glaring and growling at the elves for taking them as prisoners. Then, Thranduil widened his eyes and recognized Thorin who stood in front of the group.

"So much for the benevolence of Thranduil, Lord of the Elves." Dwalin growled at the Elven King. "Is this how you treat travelers to your lands?"

Thranduil raised his head, and stared at the angry dwarf. "Only the ones who annoy me." He spoke in a soft voice.

"Do you think we're annoying you?" Balin asked as he approached to the Elven King. "Is it a crime now to be lost in the forest? To be hungry and thirsty?"

"It is a crime to wander in my realm without leave, for you forget that you are using the road my people built during this age." Thranduil said.

"Please your majesty." Elena spoke to the Elven King. "We didn't mean to trespass in your realm."

"If you didn't mean to, then why did you enter?" Thranduil asked her.

Elena didn't know what to say until Bonnie spoke up.

"Your highness, we were trying to figure out a different route to get to…" Bonnie paused for a moment and tried to think of something. Then she finally spoke. "…to the Iron Hills, but Gandalf instructed us to take that path."

"And where is Gandalf?" Thranduil asked her. "I do not see him."

"He went on an important business to the High Fells of Rhudaur." Alaric explained to the King. "We're expecting to meet him at the place that Bonnie mentioned."

"I see." Thranduil gazed his eyes on Alaric. "You mean that your planning to meet the wizard at the slopes of Erebor. Do you think I'm a fool to believe in your lies?" He turns his eyes to Thorin. "It has been a long time since Thorin Oakenshield traveled east to Rhovanion. For what purpose, where does your journey end?"

"I do not know what you mean." Thorin lied with a glaring voice.

Thranduil turned to face his son. "How did you find them?" He asked him.

"We found them in the woods." Legolas explained. "They were ambushed by spiders that were crawling all over the trees."

"Did you wipe them all out?" Thranduil asked.

"Yes, father." Legolas complied and then showed Orcrist to him.

"Is that… Orcrist?" Thranduil asked with his eyes wide open.

"Yes." Legolas said and pointed his finger at Jamie. "This one carried it, and I believe he stole it."

"Well we don't know if that's true or not." Thranduil said and turned his gaze upon Thorin. "Please, escort our guests to their cells, except for Thorin and this one. I would like to have small chat with them."

The rest of the company members were brought to the elven dungeons and were placed in each cell.

"This is not the end of it! You hear me?" Dwalin growled at one of the elves when he was pushed into his cell.

"Let us out of here!" Liv exclaimed when she was thrown into her cell. "You can't do this to us."

Kili walks over to his cell without been pushed and gave Tauriel a good look. As he moved in his cell, he turned to address her before she locks him up. "Aren't you going to search me?" He asked her. "I could have anything down my trousers."

"Or nothing." Tauriel added since she knew that Kili was unarmed.

As Tauriel haughtily slams the cell door shut and walks away, Kili looks after her and smiles a little.

Legolas stops Tauriel on her way out of the prison corridor. "I Nogoth amman e tîr gin, Tauriel?" (_Why does the Dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?_) He asked her in elvish.

"Ú-dangada?" (_Who can say?_) Tauriel asked and looks away from Legolas. Then, she smiles a little and looked dreamy. "E orchal be Nogoth." (_He's quite tall for a Dwarf._) She suddenly realizes what she's doing and quickly looks at Legolas. "Pedithig?" (_Do you not think?_)

As Tauriel walks away, Legolas addresses her. "Orchal eb vui, mal uvanui en." (_Taller than some, but no less ugly._) He insulted.

After that, Luke walks over to his cell where Lianna was waiting patiently for him. As he walks in, Lianna smiled a bit and gently closes the cell door.

"You know, I never got your name." Luke said.

"Lianna!" Lianna replied. "My name is Lianna."

"That's um… ah… a beautiful name." Luke remarked. "I like it."

Lianna started to look a bit embarrassed when her cheeks started to turn red. She turned away, and slowly walked pass Alaric's cell.

"I think she likes you." Alaric remarked.

"Yeah, I think she does." Luke said. "But I don't think I'm her type."

Meanwhile, Jamie and Thorin were brought before King Thranduil. Before Thranduil spoke to Thorin, he turned to face Jamie.

"So tell me, where did you get that sword?" Thranduil asked him.

Jamie took time to speak and responded. "I found that sword in a troll cave somewhere near the Hidden Pass of Rivendell. I didn't steal it."

"And I can see that your telling the truth." Thranduil said and raised his arm to allow one guard to pull Jamie backwards. Then, the elven king turns to speak to Thorin. "Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand, Thorin Oakenshield. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive: attempted burglary, or something of that ilk." He paused for a moment when he looks closely at Thorin. "You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule: the King's Jewel, the Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help."

"I am listening." Thorin said, pretending to smile.

"I will let you and your companions go, if you but return what is mine." Thranduil offered.

Thorin turns away and slowly starts walking away. "A favor for a favor?" He asked.

"You have my word, Thorin." Thranduil promised. "One king to another."

Thorin stops walking. Still facing away from Thranduil, he starts to speak very loud. "I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word should the end of all days be upon us!"Hespins around and points directly at the Elven King in anger. "You lack all honor! I've seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help, but you turned your back. You turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us!" Then he spoke loudly in dwarfish. "Imrid amrad ursul!" (_Die a death of flames!_)

Thranduil leaps down from his throne and puts his face right in front of Thorin's. "Do not talk to me of dragon fire." He hissed. "I know its wrath and ruin. I have faced the great serpents of the north." His face contorts, showing burns and scars from his past encounters with dragons. He draws away, and his face returns to normal. "I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen." The Elven King turns and walks up the steps to his throne. "You are just like him." He motions and orders his guards to take Thorin and Jamie towards the dungeons. "Stay here if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I am patient. I can wait. However, if you decide to change your mind, I will promise to let you and your companions go. Your wasting time. The last set of Durin's Day is about to happen in exactly two days time."

After the meeting was over, Jamie and Thorin were thrown into their cells beside the other company members.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked.

"The King was offering Thorin a deal." Jamie explained and sighed. "It didn't turn out so well."

"Why? What happened?" Caroline asked.

"I'll tell you what happened." Thorin growled. "I told him he could spit upon his grave." He insulted and spoke loudly for all the company members in the dungeons to hear. "Him and all his kin!"

"So, you spat on his face, is that what you mean?" Jenna asked.

"I did what was necessary." Thorin said.

"Well...that's it, then." Liv sighed wearily in frustration. "A deal was our only hope. But thanks to you, we are stuck here."

"Well fancy that." Damon pretended to yawn. "Now, we have to think of a way to get out of here."

"There's no way we can, Damon." Stefan informed.

"What do you mean, brother?" Damon asked.

"I tried to compel one of the elven guards to let us out, but it turns out that compulsion doesn't work on them." Stefan explained.

"That's a pity?" Jeremy said.

"Alright then, we should probably think of a different plan." Rose suggested. "Like a Plan B."

"Thorin, you could've just accepted the King's offer." Elena said. "If he promised that he would let us go, then we would've been out of here right now."

"I don't make deals with elves." Thorin said in a low voice. "They turned their back on me and my people after the dragon took over our homeland, so now I turn mine against him. For that, we are even."

"Well, then I guess we are stuck then." Lexi sighed in frustration.

"Durin's Day is about to fall in exactly two days, Thorin." Jamie added. "We're running out of time."

"Thorin, I think it would be wise for you to accept Thranduil's offer." Balin suggested. "If not, we would have to wait another a year until you finally changed your mind."

"There's nothing we can do, Balin." Thorin said as he dropped his face in disgust.

At around nightfall, everyone is asleep in their cells, accept Kili and Luke who were still awake. Kili, however, flips a shiny black stone with an engraving in his hand and catches it on the back of his hand. That was when Tauriel, who was checking on all the prisoners, made a sudden stop at Kili's cell. Stefan was also awake and noticed her and began to listen.

"The stone in your hand, what is it?" Tauriel asked while staring at the shiny black stone.

"It is a talisman." Kili answered and began to explain about it. "A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed." He quickly holds up the stone toward Tauriel, , and she steps back slightly. She begins to walk away, but stops when Kili speaks again, in a laughing manner. "Or not, depending on whether you believe that kind of thing. It's just a token. It's called a runestone. My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise."

"What promise?" Tauriel asked with a smile on her face.

"That I will come back to her." Kili replied. "She worries. She thinks I'm reckless."

"Are you?" Tauriel asked again.

"Nah." Kili shook his head slightly when he tossed up his stone, but when he tries to catch it, it rolls out of his cell, allowing Tauriel to stop it with her foot before it can roll into the deep pit outside the cells. She picks it up and inspects it while Kili, including Stefan, began to hear laughing in the distance. "Sounds like quite a party you're having up there."

"It is Mereth-en-Gilith, the Feast of Starlight." Tauriel explained as she steps slightly away from Kili's cell. "All light is sacred to the Eldar, but Wood-elves love best the light of the stars."

"I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away." Kili assumed.

Tauriel, who had walked a few steps away while speaking, approaches Kili again and speaks earnestly. "It is memory, precious and pure." Tauriel smiles and hands Kili back his stone. "Like your promise." After Kili gently takes the stone from her hand, she turns around and looks up. "I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light forever fill the air."

"I saw a fire moon once." Kili explained his story. "It rose over the pass near Dunland, huge; red and gold it was, filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin, they were trading in Silverbuck for furs. We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left, and then, this huge fire moon, right in our path. I wish I could show you."

Tauriel sits down on the stairs by Kili's cell to listen, and seemed quite intrigued by Kili's story. While Kili continued to explain his story to Tauriel, Luke was sitting alone, listening to their conversation.

Hours later, all the company members have woken up at the set of dawn.

"I'll wager the sun's on the rise. It must be nearly dawn." Bofur guessed.

"I guess we'll never reach the mountain." Vicki believed.

Elena turns to face Thorin from her cell. "Thorin, please." She pleaded. "We're asking you to do the right thing. Please accept the Elven King's offer or else will be stuck here."

Suddenly, Bilbo appears, holding up the ring of keys in front of Elena. "Not stuck in here, you're not!" He promised.

Everyone jumps up in surprise when they saw Bilbo.

"Oh my god, Bilbo!" Elena laughed in surprise. "How did you?"

"It's a long story." Bilbo said.

As the company members exclaim in surprise, Bilbo shushes them. "Shhh! There are guards nearby!" He informed quietly to them.

Bilbo quickly unlocks Elena's cell, then he rushes to Thorin's cell and frees the dwarf prince. He then proceeds to Lexi's cell and managed to free her. Lexi smiled in joy and hugged Bilbo.

"Good job!" Lexi said.

"Thanks, I never had it in me." Bilbo smiled.

"Uh excuse me, cut the nonsense, and get us out of these cells please." Damon said from his cell near Bilbo.

"Not a problem." Lexi said as she takes the keys from Bilbo and unlocks both Damon and Stefan's cell. Then, she proceeds to let all the others out of their various cells, and they chuckle gleefully at their good fortune.

"The stairs. You first. Bonnie." Damon said.

"Not that way, down here. Follow me." Bilbo beckoned the others to follow him.

"What choice do we have?" Liv asked.

"Come on, lets just follow him." Vicki said as she passed her and Luke.

As Bilbo proceeds to lead the company through the Woodland Realm without being seen, they quietly sneak through the halls of the Woodland Realm, and eventually find themselves in the wine cellar from before. Bilbo, Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves notice a group of Silvan Elves that were fast asleep around a table, with several empty bottles of wine in front of them.

"They must've drank a lot of wine." Jenna whispered while she stared at the sleeping elves.

"This way." Bilbo beckoned quietly to the group.

"I don't believe it; we're in the cellars!" Tyler exclaimed quietly.

"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Caroline whispered angrily at Bilbo.

"I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo said quietly.

"Shhh!" Caroline shushed him.

"This way." Bilbo beckoned as he leads the group across the room when they stop near several barrels that are stacked sideways down the middle of the room. The short barrels were the size of a dwarf and the long barrels were the size of a man. Bilbo stands in front of the group and beckons. "Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!"

"Wait, what?" Caroline asked quietly in shock.

"Are you mad?" Alaric asked in a whisper. "The guards will find us when they find out that we escaped."

"No, no, they won't, I promise you. Please, please, you must trust me!" Bilbo pleaded quietly.

The company members mill around, as they try to decide.

"Do as he says!" Thorin ordered.

"There is no way I'm climbing into a barrel." Liv muttered quietly in disgust.

"There's no time to argue." Tyler whispered next to her. "Let's just do it!"

As Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, and Mason climb in the long barrels, Thorin and the dwarves climbed in the short barrels. Bilbo walks along, counting to make sure everyone have been accounted for.

"Now what?" Vicki asked.

Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves stick their heads out of their barrels and watch Bilbo as he walks toward a lever in the ground.

"Hold your breath." Bilbo said.

"Hold my breath?" Bofur asked, looking confused.

"What does he mean about holding our breath?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know." Mason whispered next to her.

Bilbo pulls the lever, and the part of the floor that the barrels were on tilts downward into an opening; the barrels roll out the opening and fall several feet into a river that runs beneath the Woodland Realm. The company members yell as they fall, and the barrels make loud thumping noises. That was when Bilbo began to realize that he forgot to get out himself, and that the trap door has closed. Bilbo managed to open the trap door again, and jumps into the river. Lexi managed to grab on to him.

"Well done, Bilbo." Lexi admired.

Bilbo, half drowned, waves his hand in thanks and manages to splutter out a word. "Go."

"Come on, let's go." Thorin shouted.

"Row the barrels!" Alaric ordered.

As the company members paddle with their hands as the river pulls their barrels along; elves rush along passages in the Woodland Realm. The dwarves emerge into the sunlight, and Thorin sees a waterfall right in front of them.

"Hold on!" Mason yelled as he and everyone else in the barrels plunge through the rapids, then float swiftly down the raging river. That was when he turned around and saw Legolas, followed by other elves, emerges from a gateway and sees the company floating away.

"Holo in-annon!" (_Shut the gate!_) Legolas ordered to an elf in elvish.

The elf complied and immediately blows in the horn, sounding the alarm that the company was escaping.

"I don't like the sound of that." Matt said.

"Come on, keeping rowing." Meredith shouted.

Suddenly, the company spot a guard post built above the river and notice several heavily armored elves standing guard there when they heard the horn and come to attention.

"Oh no." Bonnie whispered when she saw one of the guards running to the lever and pulls it down, causing a heavy metal sluice gate to block the river. The company members in their barrels come to a stop at the gate, unable to float further.

When the barrels pile into each other, the elven guards draw their swords, but one is suddenly shot in the back with a black arrow by an orc archer that comes up and snarls in front of the company.

"Oh my god!" Liv gasped in horror.

Several growling orcs swarm over the guard post, killing the elves while more run in from the bushes, with their leader Bolg, Azog's son.

"Watch out! There's orcs!" Trevor shouted to the company and the elven guards.

"Gorid! Zib! Goridug!" Bolg ordered his fellow orcs to slay Thorin and his company.

The orcs begin throwing themselves at the company members in their barrels. Lexi holds one and managed to snap its neck while Bilbo manages to kill one with Sting, and Mason elbows another in the face. Dwalin grabbed hold of a sword from one of the orcs that tried to strike him and slashed one that was trying to strike Thorin. Elena grabbed an Orc before it could kill Jeremy and snapped its neck.

"What do we do?" Jeremy asked.

"We have to pull that lever." Matt said, pointing at the lever the elven guard had pulled earlier.

Kili looks up and manages to get out of his barrel. Bonnie saw him running up the stairs toward the lever, but since he's unarmed, the dwarf ducks as an Orc swings its sword at the young dwarf.

"Kili!" Bonnie yelled at the dwarf as she grabs an Orc sword from a fallen orc. "Catch!" She throws the sword to Kili, who then fights his way to the top of the stairs.

As Kili fights an orc, another one leaps up from behind him, raising its spear to stab him. Jenna grabs a dagger from a dead orc and throws it into the orc's head before it could strike Kili. This allowed Kili to finish the orc in front of him and reaches for the lever, but before he could he could touch it, Bolg fires an arrow, which hits Kili in the calf.

"Kili!" Fili screamed in horror.

"Kili!" Elena cried in shock when she saw what happened.

"Oh my god!" Bonnie whispered in shock. "Kili!"

Kili groans in pain and strains to pull the lever, but falls over onto his back when another Orc leaps over to kill the injured dwarf. Before the orc could succeed, an arrow flies straight into its head. Bonnie and the others look over and they see Tauriel and Lianna running through the bushes. While Tauriel fights off several orcs with her knife, Lianna shoots another orc that was coming towards Kili.

"Amazing." Luke whispered when he turned to see Bolg pointing his weapon towards Tauriel.

"Gor'-ash! Gor golginul!" (_Kill her! Kill the She-Elf!_) Bolg yelled at his Orc companions in Black Speech.

Several orcs rush at Tauriel, but Legolas and other elven warriors appear from the bushes and shoot them down. As Tauriel, Legolas, Lianna, and the other elves fight the orcs, Kili manages to grab the lever and pull it, opening the sluice get and letting Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves in their barrels through. After that, he falls on his back again in pain. As the company members in their barrels fall down another waterfall and float down the river, Bolg sees them.

"Khozdayin obguryash! Abgurid!" (_After them!_) Bolg shouted in Black Speech.

Meredith sees Kili who is trying to move towards the edge. "Kili, come on!" She shouted. "You can do it!"

Kili manages to slide himself off the ledge and into his empty barrel below. As he lands in it, the shaft of the arrow in his leg breaks off on the edge of the barrel. Immediately, all the company members plunge over the waterfall and continue floating down the rushing river, as Bolg and his orcs follow the river on land. Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Jenna, Alaric, Elizabeth, Rose, Trevor, Liv, Luke, Lexi, Meredith, Mason, and the dwarves try to paddle and steer with their hands while the Orcs on each side of the river, fired several arrows at them. One orc leaps at Jeremy in his barrel, but Damon managed to save his life by killing the orc with his sword that he grabbed earlier. Meredith and Elizabeth turn around and see Legolas, Lianna, Tauriel, and the elves are running after the orcs, shooting them.

While the company was crossing through the river and trying to avoid the Orcs, an orc jumps from an overhanging tree branch toward Balin, but Stefan throws an Orc spear which pinned the orc to the tree. As the dead orc drops its weapon, Stefan catches it while floating beneath him, and he throws back to Caroline, who throws it to Nori, who throws it to Mason. Mason turned to see an Orc coming towards him, and managed to slash it before it jump on him. Another Orc leaps onto Vicki's barrel, only for Vicki to headbutt it off and steal its axe. After grabbing the axe, she and the others see a low-hanging tree branch stretched across the river in front of them, with several orcs on it.

"Cut the log!" Damon yelled as he hits the branch with his sword.

Then, Dwalin hits the log with his weapon, and Vicki, who was right behind the tough dwarf, hits the branch with her axe, breaking it and causing the orcs on it to fall into the river. One of the orcs from the fallen branch manage to jump onto Meredith's barrel, only for Elizabeth to grab the orc and slash it with her sword. Two orcs from the branch grab hold onto Liv's barrel. Liv screamed in terror when the orcs were about to kill her, but both Matt and Tyler managed to pull the orcs off her barrel, saving her life.

Liv turns to face Tyler, who was holding on to his barrel. "Thanks." She said.

"Don't mention it." Tyler shouted.

"Matt!" Vicki shouted from behind Matt.

Matt turns too face Vicki. "Vick!" He shouted back.

"Catch!" Vicki throws her axe to Matt, who kills an orc that had just jumped onto his barrel.

The Orc's spear ends up pinning it to an overhanging tree branch while the other end of the spear catches onto Matt's barrel and catapults it through the air and onto the riverbank, where the barrel rolls and tramples multitudes of orcs. The barrel flips through the air to the other side of the river, where it tramples more orcs. Eventually, the barrel comes to a stop, and orcs surround it. However, Matt kicks himself out the barrel, and holds his axe. While the orcs were around him, Matt slashed down several of them, and then runs toward the river. He tosses the axe to Trevor, and jumps into the river, allowing Vicki to grab hold of him.

"I got you." Vicki said.

"Thanks." Matt said nervously while holding onto Vicki's barrel.

Meanwhile, Legolas, Lianna, Tauriel, and the elves have caught up to Thorin's company and the Orcs as they fight their way. At one point, Legolas leaps over the river and lands with a foot on the heads of two dwarves. From this vantage point, Legolas shoots orcs on either riverbank. He aims carefully, and managed to skewer two orcs through the head with one arrow. Legolas continues fighting orcs, using the heads of floating dwarves as stepping stones to get across the river. While he is preoccupied fighting an orc, another orc runs up behind him and raises its sword to kill him. Damon, from his barrel in the river, throws his sword and manages to kill the orc behind Legolas, saving the elf's life. As the company continues to float down the river, Legolas stops pursuing them and watches them escape.


	12. Chapter 12

After a long river run, the company continues to float down the river in their barrels.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin asked from the front.

"Not that I can see." Damon jested.

"Well, I think we've outrun the Orcs." Luke assumed.

"Not for long, we need to keep moving." Alaric said. "The Orcs could be following our trail by now."

"Well the bad news is, we've lost the current." Caroline said sharply.

"Make for the shore!" Trevor shouted around the group.

"Come on, let's go!" Elizabeth shouted too.

"Aye." Dwalin complied sharply.

As the company reach the shore and get out the barrels, Kili, who was shot by Bolg, falls to his knees from the wound in his leg when Liv watches him.

"Your hurt." Liv said while staring at the wound.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Kili lied.

Elena approaches and noticed the wound as well. "Oh my god, no your not!" She said loudly as she kneels to look at the wound.

"I'm alright, its not serious." Kili said softly when he noticed Elena bitting hardly on her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"Here." Elena said quickly as she holds her wrist with blood in front of Kili's face. "My blood will heal you."

"What do you mean your blood could heal me?" Kili asked, looking a bit confused.

Elena uses her other arm to force Kili to meet her gaze before she begins to compel him. "Just drink my blood, and I promise it will heal you." She said, using her compulsion on the dwarf.

"Okay." Kili said while under Elena's compulsion. Then, Elena moves her wrist into Kili's mouth as the dwarf begins to drink from it without the dwarves knowing.

After feeding Kili her blood, Elena began to notice that the wound was not healing. "Oh my god!" She said, looking shocked.

"What is it?" Bonnie asked as she came from behind Elena and noticed the wound. She turned to face Elena. "Did you heal him?"

"I did, but his wound is not healing." Elena admitted, looking concerned. "My blood is suppose to heal a person who is hurt or wounded."

"Something's not right." Bonnie said while she stared at Kili's wound. "I can feel something in his wound."

"Like what?" Kili asked.

"I don't know." Bonnie shook her head a bit and glanced at Elena. "Get Doctor Fell. She might have to look into his wound."

Elena nods and walks over to Meredith. "Meredith, Kili's wounded. I used my blood to heal him, but it didn't work. The wound is still there." She explained.

"How bad is it?" Meredith asked.

"Really bad!" Elena said.

Meredith runs over to Kili and begins to observe the wound while Bonnie and Fili stand beside. "Okay, we need to bind your leg and see if we can find something to heal this wound." She said.

"On your feet." Thorin called out to the group. "We need to keep moving."

"We can't." Meredith said to the dwarf prince. "Kili's wounded, his leg needs binding."

"There's an Orc pack at our tail." Thorin said.

"So where are we now?" Elizabeth asked.

"We're getting close." Bilbo said.

"Close to where?" Elizabeth asked the hobbit.

"To the mountain." Bilbo corrected.

"Oh, that's relief." Caroline said. "So now all we have to do is get there right now."

"We can't." Balin said. "A lake lies between us and that mountain, we have no way to cross it."

"Okay, so we go around then." Caroline suggested.

"The Orcs will run us down as sure as daylight." Dwalin added. "We've no weapons to defend ourselves."

Thorin turns to Meredith. "Bind his leg, quickly." He ordered. "You have two minutes."

As the company members were busy trying to get everything prepared to move on and head to the Lonely Mountain, a figure comes up behind them, ready to shoot his arrow. Ori was the first to turn and sees the bowmen until Luke turns around and gently pats Matt two times. Then, everyone turns to face the bowman until Dwalin intervenes. The dwarf holds a small broken branch as his weapon and tries to make charge, but before he could do so, the bowman fired an arrow straight into the branch. Jeremy goes to throw a stone at him, but the bowmen was quick enough to shoot it out of his hand with another arrow that he loaded.

"Do it again and you're dead." The bowman threatened the company as he points his arrow at them.

Suddenly, the bowman noticed Damon was next to him. Before the bowman could react, Damon grabs hold of the bow and arrow and throws it away from him.

"Do that, and your dead." Damon smirks at the bowman, who quickly took out his knife, but he grabs his arm before he could strike. "Listen pal, you do not want to with mess me. Now we can do this easy way which I prefer, or I can do this hard way. It's your choice."

The bowman sighed and immediately dropped the knife, allowing Damon to release his arm. The bowman turns away to retreat from Damon until Stefan stands in front of him.

"Please... sit!" Stefan insisted with a smile. "Or you can stand if you like, and we'll talk."

"Who are you suppose to be?" The bowman asked.

"I'm Stefan." Stefan introduced himself to the bowman. "And that's my brother Damon who you almost tried to strike. And you are?"

"Bard!" The bowman responded. "Bard the Bowman."

"Um excuse me." Balin approached to Bard who was between Damon and Stefan. "You're from Lake-town, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Of course I am." Bard replied.

"That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?" Balin asked.

After that, Bard goes down to his barge and puts all the barrels in when the company followed him.

"So what makes you think I would help you?" Bard asked after he finished loading the barrels into the barge.

"Those boots have seen better days, as has that coat." Balin grinned at him.

"And no doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed?" Lexi asked. "Do you have a family?"

"A boy and two girls." Bard replied.

"And your wife, I imagine, she's a beauty?" Balin remarked.

Bard hesitated for a moment. "Aye, she was." He said quietly.

Balin's face drops as he realizes what's he's just said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Oh, come on, come on. Enough with the niceties." Dwalin interrupted quietly.

"Can you be a little nice by any chance?" Rose asked, glaring at Dwalin.

"What's your hurry?" Bard asked the group.

"Ah, nothing!" Rose said. "Nothing at all!"

"I would like to know who you are, and what you were doing in these lands." Bard demanded.

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains, journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills." Balin told the bowman a fake story. "And these are our companions from the southern nation of Gondor."

"We accompanied them to seek distant relations with them." Elizabeth joined in Balin's false story.

"I see." Bard said.

"Ah we need food, water, and… medical supplies for one of our companions who is badly wounded." Meredith added. "Please… can you help us?"

"I know where these barrels came from." Bard said as he indicated several damages on one of the barrels he observed. "I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well."

"Well, that's a long story." Elena spoke up and lied. "We were planning to take a safe route from the Woodland Realm until we were ambushed by Orcs that just invaded. The elves helped us escape while we were taking the river."

"Orcs, you say?" Bard asked in suspicion. "Orcs have been running freely across this region, and have been threat ever since."

"So will you help us?" Caroline asked with smile.

"I'm afraid not." Bard replied. "No one enters Lake-town but by lead of Calamar, the Master of Lake-town. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm."

When Elena noticed Thorin indicating for Balin to persuade Bard into helping the company, she walks over to Bard and grabs both his shoulders in order to meet her gaze. "Please, I must insist that you help us, and take us to Lake-town."

"I'm afraid I cannot." Bard answered. "Now can you please release me."

Elena was so confused why her compulsion didn't work on him. Then, she began to notice a familiar potent herb that was well-known for a vampire's weakness: Vervain. Elena saw that she couldn't compel him since he possibly drank vervain. "I'm sorry, but I must insist that you help us." She implored.

"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen." Alaric suggested.

"Aye. But for that you would need a smuggler." Bard added.

"For which we would pay double." Alaric promised as he came closer to Bard.

"Alaric, what are you doing?" Damon whispered from behind.

"Just follow my league Damon." Alaric whispered back.

"Alright, if you all are merchants, and wish to do your business, then I shall take you to Lake-town unseen." Bard promised. "Climb aboard."

As the company cross the lake on Bard's barge, they go through a mist after which they nearly hit a large stone coming out from the water.

"Watch out!" Elena shouted as she saw the stone, but Bard goes smoothly past the stones.

"What are you trying to do?" Damon asked the bargeman with a glaring face. "Drown us?"

"I was born and bred on these waters." Bard explained. "If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."

"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy lake-man." Dwalin muttered to himself in anger. "I say we throw him over the side and be done with him."

"Not a good idea, Dwalin." Thorin whispered next to him.

"How do we know he won't betray us?" Dwalin asked in a whisper.

"We don't." Thorin whispered back.

"You know, we could've just compelled him to take us." Caroline said while sitting between Elena and Bonnie.

"I wish we could Caroline, but the reason I couldn't compel him was because he had vervain." Elena explained. "I saw the herbs on his barge."

"Okay, that's a bit of a problem." Caroline said.

"What do you mean?" Jeremy asked from behind her.

"What if he plans to turn us in?" Caroline guessed.

"Well if he does, then maybe we can hold him hostage and wait until the vervain wares off from his system." Jeremy suggested.

"We do not have to hold hostage." Balin said while counting the coins. "We simply have to pay him for helping us."

"Come on, now, guys." Alaric ordered the whole group. "Turn out your pockets."

Mason turns to his nephew. "Tyler, come on, pass out your coins." He demanded.

"Do you I have to?" Tyler asked in a complaining voice.

Mason pulls Tyler's shirt. "Tyler, just do it." He whispered. "I'm not going to say it again."

"Why do we have to sacrifice our money for this?" Vicki complained quietly.

"Quit your complaining and just take out your coins, or I will have to do it for you." Lexi said.

Vicki sighed and took out all her remaining coins.

"Here's my lot." Matt said as he passes his coins to Balin.

"I have about five coins with me." Elizabeth said as she passed them to Balin. Then, she turns to Caroline. "Come on Caroline, we don't have all day."

"Just give me a sec mom." Caroline said as she was taking time in getting all her coins out from her pocket. She passes them to Balin. "Here."

As Balin finishes counting their coins, he began to notice something. "There's um...just a wee problem." He informed the group. "We're ten coins short."

Alaric turns to face Gloin. "Gloin, come on." He ordered the red-bearded dwarf. "Give us what you have."

"Don't look to me." Gloin argued. "I have been bled dry by this venture! What have I seen for my investment? Naught but misery and grief and…" He paused when he notices the other dwarves attention is caught by something and then we see that through the mist they can see closer view of the Lonely Mountain. "Bless my beard." Immediately, Gloin takes out his sack of coins. "Take it. Take all of it."

As Gloin hands the coins to Balin, Bilbo clears his throat in warning to let them know Bard is walking over to them.

"The money, quick. Give it to me." Bard insisted.

"We will pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin promised.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say." Bard said. "There are guards ahead."

"Okay, time to hide in our barrels." Jenna said.

"Not again." Liv muttered in disgust.

"Come on, let's go." Matt ordered.

When they reach the port, the company has hidden in the barrels now piled in Bard's barge.

"Ssh. What's he doing?" Tyler asked next to Luke.

"He's talking to someone." Luke reported to him and the group. "He's pointing right at us. Now they're shaking hands."

"What?" Caroline exclaimed.

"He's selling us out." Damon whispered sharply.

"I can't believe we paid our money for this." Tyler said angrily.

As the company hear footsteps, a pile of fish starts landing on top of the company members in each barrel. Later, Bard continues his journey to Lake-town with each barrel that is filled with fish.

"I think I'm going to puke." Liv moaned.

"Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." Bard informed her and the group.

As Bard approaches the toll gate, he meets up with his old friend Percy.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers please!" Percy said as he steps out of his lodging. "Oh Bard, what a wonderful surprise." He said as he stared at the barrels filled with fish. "Anything to declare?"

"Nothing. But I am cold and tired, and ready for home." Bard said quickly as he hands his paper which Percy then stamps and offers it back to Bard.

"There we are, all in order." Percy said as he prepares to hand back the paper, but it was snatched by a man named Alfrid.

"Not so fast." Alfrid said as he read the paper. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm." He points at the barrels. "Only they're not empty. Are they Bard? If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman. Not... a fisherman."

"That's none of your business." Bard glared at him.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business." Alfrid grinned.

"Oh, come on, Alfrid. Have a heart, people need to eat." Bard said sharply.

"These fish are illegal." Alfrid said as he throws one fish into the water. Then, he turns to his guards that were both male and female. "Braga, empty the barrels over the side."

"You heard him, in the canal." Braga ordered his guards.

One by one, the guards get on board the barge and start picking up the barrels while Bard watches with worry.

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard said worriedly.

"That's not my problem." Alfrid ignored his words.

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake?" Bard asked. "When the rioting starts? Will it be your problem then?"

As the guards start to empty the barrels over the side, Alfrid glares at Bard until he holds up his hand. "Stop!" He ordered as his guards put the barrels back and walk off the barge. "Ever the people's champion, hey, Bard? Protector of the common folk. You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last."

Alfrid turns away and walks off the barge.

"Raise the gate!" Percy ordered and gave Bard a wink since he was very supportive to him.

At Percy's command, the guards start to raise the town gate and Bard starts to steer the barge through it.

"The Master has his eye on you. You'll do well to remember, we know where you live." Alfrid said in a cruel voice.

Bard ignored his cruel words and enters the town with his barge and the barrels of fish intact. After smuggling the company inside the barrel of fish into the town Bard starts tipping the barrels over so that the company members can get out.

"Get your hands off me." Dwalin snapped as he prevents Bard from touching him.

"I smell like fish." Liv exclaimed.

"Well like you said, I feel like I'm going to puke." Luke said.

"Just try and hold it as much as you can." Liv said as she walks pass him.

As the rest of the company get themselves out of the barrels, one of the towns people watches them in confusion.

Carolines walks over to him and used her compulsion on him. "You didn't see us, we were never there." She said quickly. "The fish you can have for nothing."

Bard offered the man a coin and speaks directly to the company. "Follow me." He beckoned.

As Bard leads the company, Bilbo, Bonnie, and Damon couldn't imagine how big this town was. By Bilbo and Lexi's surprise, he noticed that the town was also filled with Hobbits that were known as the Stoors, one of the three breeds of Bilbo's kin.

"What is this place?" Trevor asked next to Thorin.

"This my friend is the center of all trade in the north." Thorin explained. "I remember what it was like during the time when the dragon took over Erebor. The Human survivors were forced to abandon Dale and take refuge here."

As Bard continues to lead the company through the town center, Bain, who was Bard's son ran to them in a hurry.

"Da', our house! It's being watched." Bain reported.

"What do you mean your house is been watched?" Elena asked from behind Bard.

Bard slowly turns his head to face the company.

"Is there a problem?" Stefan asked.

Later on as Bard and his son Bain make their way to their house, the two began to notice the Master's Lake-town spies were making their round to pass news of Bard returning home. Bard kept his mouth shut as he enters the house to see his two daughters named Sigrid and Tilda.

"Da'! Where have you been?" Tilda asked as she rushes into Bard's arm.

"Father, there you are. I was worried." Sigrid said happily in relief as she also rushes into Bard's arms to embrace him.

"Here, Sigrid." Bard said as he hands her the bag he was carrying. He turns to face his son, who had just walked in the house. "Bain, get them in."

Bain rushes down to the bottom of their home to where the toilets are, he bangs his foot on the floor boards.

Damon's head pops out of the toilet. "Hey kid, if you ever speak of this to anyone, I'll snap you and your dad's neck." He threatened as he drags himself out of the toilet and makes his way up to the house.

As the rest of the company comes out of the toilet and move up the stairs, Sigrid watches from the staircase. "Dad, who are these people, and why are they coming out of our toilet?"

Vicki turns to stare at her. "Don't ask." She said as she walked pass her and bumps in front of Tilda.

"Are you bringing us luck?" Tilda asked, looking excited.

"I'm afraid not little girl." Vicki smiled at her.

As Liv was the last one to come out of the toilet, Tyler offers his hand to help.

"I do not need your help." Liv said angrily.

"What's your problem?" Tyler asked.

"Problem?" Liv exclaimed. "I'll tell you what my problem is. First, I get myself into a barrel and almost got killed by a pack of Orcs. Second, fish is dumped on me and I couldn't breath. Third, I come out of a toilet which is considered gross."

Tyler hold Liv's shoulders. "Liv, it's okay." He said calmly without getting upset. "I know it was crazy, but once this is done. We'll get the hell out of here."

"Let's hope we do." Liv said as she walked pass him.

Later, the company sits by the fire to dry themselves off as Bard gives them dry clothes. Tilda walks over to Elizabeth and Caroline as she offers them fresh clothes.

"Oh, thank you." Caroline smiled.

Bonnie noticed Thorin looking out the window. She walks over to him, and noticed a large ballista on top of the town's tower.

"The Dwarvish Wind-Lance!" Thorin said as he stared at it.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Bonnie said.

Balin comes up behind them. "He has. The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire." He explained. "It was a day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the lord of the city, rallied his bowmen to fire upon the beast. But a dragon's hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armor. Only a Black Arrow fired from a wind-lance could have pierced the dragon's hide. And few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand."

"What happened to Girion?" Bonnie asked.

"He perished before the final arrow could be fired." Balin answered softly.

"If the aim of men had been true that day, much would've been different." Thorin whispered.

"You speak as if you were there." Bard said as he approached them.

"All Dwarves know the tale." Thorin stated.

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon." Bain joined in. "He loosened his scale under the left wing, one more shot and he would've killed the beast."

"That's a fairy story, lad." Dwalin chuckled. "Nothing more."

Thorin walks up to Bard. "You took our money. Where are the weapons?" He asked.

"Wait here." Bard ordered as he goes down to his boat beneath the house and drags the weapons up from under his boat.

Thorin walks over to the group. "Tomorrow begins the last days of Autumn." He informed them. "Durin's Day falls the morning after next. We must reach the mountain before then."

"And if we do not?" Elena asked. "If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?"

"Then this quest has been for nothing." Damon said.

"Look, we still have time." Stefan stated. "We're right near the mountain. Once we get our supplies, then we leave."

"But we're in the middle of a lake." Luke pointed out. "We need something to get across."

"Like maybe a boat." Jenna added.

"We'll steal a couple of boats by nightfall." Thorin spoke out again.

At that moment, Bard enters and dumps the weapons, on the table in front of the company.

Thorin picks one of the items up. "What is this?" He asked.

"Pike hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard answered.

"And this?" Jeremy asked while holding one too.

"A crow bill, we call it." Bard asked. "Fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in a hand, I grant. But in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none."

"I'll take it." Jeremy agreed.

"Yeah, I'll take this one." Matt agreed as well while holding a fishing spear.

"We won't." Gloin growled. "We paid for weapons. Iron forged, swords and axes!"

"It's a joke!" Bofur exclaimed as he threw his item back on the table.

"You won't find better outside the city armory." Bard informed the group. "All iron forged weapons are held there under lock and key."

"Thorin, why not just accept what's on offer and go." Rose insisted. "I've made do with less, so have you."

"I say we leave now." Balin insisted.

"You're not going anywhere." Bard said to the company.

"Excuse me, what did you just say?" Caroline asked. "Did you just say that we're not leaving?"

"You can't." Bard said.

"And why is that?" Stefan asked.

"There are spies watching this house in probably every dock and wharf in the town." Bard replied.

"Wait a minute, spies?" Tyler exclaimed.

"Why would spies want to watch your house?" Matt asked.

"Because the Master of Lake-town believes that I'm posing a threat to him and his authority." Bard explained. "I've been trying to do what was right for the people of Lake-town, but the Master is very corrupt and greedy. I suggest that you all have to wait until nightfall." He paces outside the house.

While everyone was seated, Meredith noticed Kili having trouble sitting down.

"Are you alright?" Meredith asked. "You look pale."

"I'm fine." Kili said while trying to hide the pain from his wound.

Later that night, the company managed to leave Bard's house and attempt to break into the city's armory to steal weapons.

"As soon as we have the weapons, we'll make straight for the mountain." Thorin whispered to the group.

"Guys, I think this is bad idea." Luke whispered around the group. "I mean, breaking into an armory and stealing weapons is considered a crime."

"What happens if we're caught?" Liv asked.

"We won't." Thorin assured her. "As long as we remain quiet, we'll leave."

As Thorin, Fili, Kili, Gloin, Bofur, Stefan, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt, Tyler, and Mason were inside the building, collecting weapons, the rest of the company stayed outside to keep a close eye for guards.

"Here, take this one." Matt whispered as he passed one to Tyler.

Jeremy takes hold of a blade. "I like this sword." He remarked quietly.

Mason passes another weapon to carry on top of the one's he's already carrying. "You alright?" He asked.

"I can manage. Let's just get out of here." Kili whispered as he goes to walks down the stairs. Due to his wound, he accidentally drops the weapons in his hand and falls down the stairs.

"Oh boy." Caroline whispered when the noise woke the people of Lake-town.

Outside, the others hear noise that were getting close.

"Run!" Alaric yelled.

As the others turn to run, they are stopped by a number of guards who surround them and point their weapons at them. Inside the armory, Braga and his guards enter and prevent Thorin, Fili, Kili, Gloin, Bofur, Stefan, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt, Tyler, and Mason from escaping.

"Give me the word, Stefan." Damon whispered.

"Sorry Damon, but we can't." Stefan sighed.

After being captured, Braga and the guards escort the company to the Calamar's residence. There, Calamar and his loyal assistant Alfrid were waiting for them.

"What is the meaning of this?" Calamar demanded in a sharp tone.

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, Sire." Braga explained about the incident.

"Ah! Enemies of the state, huh?" Calamar proclaimed.

"A desperate bunch of mercenaries, if ever there was, Sire." Alfrid guessed.

"Hold your tongue!" Dwalin growled at them. "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal. This is Thorin. Son of Thrain, son of Thror!"

Thorin steps out to stand beside Dwalin. "We are the dwarves of Erebor." He revealed to them and the whole crowd of citizens. "We have come to reclaim our homeland." Upon this revelation, the towns people murmur amongst themselves as Thorin went on. "I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake. This was the center of all trade in the north!" He turns to face the people gathered around him and the company. "I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"

The crowd of Humans and Hobbits began to cheer after listening to Thorin's speech.

"Death! That is what you'll bring upon us." Bard replied as he pushed through the crowd and walks towards Thorin. "Dragonfire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."

"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; if we succeed… all will share in the wealth of the mountain." Thorin promised and raised his voice towards the crowd. "You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"

The crowd cheered again.

"Why should we take you at your word, eh?" Alfrid asked, causing the crowd to stop cheering and remained silent. "We know nothing about you." Then, he gazed his eyes at the company behind Thorin. "Who here can vouch for your character?"

"I will." Elena called out as she raised her hand and walked forward. "I'll vouch for him."

"And who might you be?" Alfrid asked.

"I'm Elena… Elena Gilbert!" Elena introduced herself to Alfrid, Calamar, and the whole crowd. "Me, along with my brother and friends have traveled far with these Dwarves through great danger across the mountains, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word… then he will keep it."

As the crowd continued to cheer happily, Bard turns around to face them. "All of you! Listen to me! You must listen!" He shouted in order for the crowd to hear him. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm? And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a Mountain King… so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!"

"Now, Now! We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame." Calamar said, pointing his finger at Bard. "Let us not forget, that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast! Hmm?"

"It's true, Sire. We all know the story. Arrow after arrow, he shot. Each one missing its mark." Alfrid concurred.

Bard felt humiliated and takes a step closer to Thorin. "You have no right." He whispered to the dwarf. "No right to enter that mountain."

"I have the only right." Thorin whispered back to him and turns to face Calamar. "I speak to the Master of the men of the lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people? What say you?"

Calamar hesitates for a moment and finally speaks. "I say unto you." He raises his hands open. "Welcome! Welcome and rise! Welcome, King Under the Mountain!"

The crowd begins to cheer happily at the sound of the mountain king's return.

The next morning, the company gets ready to leave for the Lonely Mountain on the barge and with weapons provided by the town.

"You do know there's two missing? Where's Bofur and Luke?" Bilbo asked.

"If they're not here, we leave them behind." Thorin said quickly.

"We'll have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall." Bonnie said. "We can risk no more delays."

As they start boarding the barge, Thorin turns and stops Kili from entering the barge. "Not you." He said. "We must travel at speed, you will slow us down."

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you." Kili said, looking confused. "I want to be there when that door opens. When we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin…"

"Kili, stay here." Thorin interrupted. "Rest. Join us when you're healed."

Kili looks devastated as Thorin turns to board the barge.

"I'll will stay with him." Meredith said as she approached next to Kili. "Besides, I'm a doctor, and I'll try to find something to take care of that wound."

"So will I." Elizabeth said as she stepped out of the barge and turned to Caroline. "Be safe."

"I will, mom." Caroline smiled at her.

"I'll stay with the lad as well." Oin said as he walked off the barge as well and goes to join Kili. "My duty lies with the wounded."

"Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him!" Fili argued.

"I'll help carry him... if that's alright." Jenna volunteered.

Thorin walks over to Fili. "Fili, one day when my time passes, you will be King and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf. Not even my own kin." Fili looks over to Kili then gets off the barge, but Thorin grabs his arm to prevent him from leaving. "Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company."

"I know, but I belong with my brother." Fili said as he turns and walks over to join Kili, Meredith, Elizabeth, and Oin.

"I'll stay here, and wait for my brother to show up." Liv said. "You guys go on ahead."

"You sure?" Tyler asked.

"Just go, and do what you must." Liv insisted.

"Okay." Tyler nodded.

As the trumpets are sounded, Calamar steps onto a platform when the crowd cheers. "Go now with our good will." He said cheerfully. "And may your return bring fortune to all!"

The crowd cheers as the company sets off on the barge down the lake.

Back in the Master's manor, Bofur and Luke are passed out drunk under a table when they both wake up andy ear trumpets.

"By my beard, is that the time!" Bofur exclaimed when he bangs his head on the table.

Luke wakes up and realized what was happening. "I don't believe it, we overslept." He shouted as he takes everything with him.

Bofur and Luke rush out of the manor and join the others on the dock before they leave. However, as they the two pushed through the crowd and reach the dock, they saw the rest of the company as left and is too far down the lake for them to reach.

"Well, it look like we have to fetch another boat." Bofur said.

Luke turns and notices Fili, Meredith, Elizabeth, and Oin are with Kili. "Uh, did you guys miss the boat as well?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, we just missed it alright." Liv said sharply as she slaps on the face.

"Ow, jeez, what the hell was that for?" Luke asked as he flaced his hand on his cheek.

"Where were you?" Liv exclaimed.

"Um, Bofur and I drank too much wine, and we passed out." Luke explained. "Look, we could try and ask someone to fetch another boat and will join the rest of the group to the mountain."

"It's too late." Liv said. "Now we have to wait until they come back."

Suddenly, the two turn around when Fili, Meredith, and Elizabeth were holding Kili, who was about to pass out.

Meredith placed her hand on Kili's forehead. "Oh my god, he's running fever." She said. "We need to find some medicine… fast."

Fili, Liv, Luke, Bofur, Oin, Meredith, and Elizabeth take Kili to Bard's house to see if he could help.

Meredith knocks at the door three time, and just a few seconds, Bard opens the door.

"No. I'm done with you all, go away!" Bard said as he goes to shut the door, but Meredith stops him.

"No! No, please!" Meredith pleaded and explained the situation. "No one in this town will help us. Kili, Thorin's nephew, is sick." She turns to look at Kili who looks pale and close to passing out. "He's very sick."

Bard placed his hand on Kili's forehead and noticed. "Get him inside, hurry!" He said quickly.


	13. Chapter 13

As the rest of the company are in their boat, they head across the lake toward the Lonely Mountain. They rowed across the lake for nearly half-an-hour and quickly decked out in regal clothes and armor from Laketown. The company spent a while climbing the foothills of the mountain until they reach the overlook of the Lonely Mountain. There, look at the other end of the valley and an abandoned city.

"What is this place?" Bonnie asked while staring at the view of the abandoned city.

"It was once the city of Dale." Balin explained. "Now it is a ruin. The Desolation of Smaug."

"The sun will soon reach midday." Thorin informed the group. "We must find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way."

"Wait. Is this the overlook?" Elena asked the dwarf. "Gandalf said to meet him here, on no account were we to…"

"Do you see him?" Thorin interrupts her abruptly. "We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own. Come." He turns and walks away.

As the others followed Thorin, Bonnie stares at the city and felt conflicted. She immeidately turned her eyes towards the company and followed them down to continue their journey to the mountain. At the Lonely Mountain, Thorin stands his sword in the ground and pants while Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Jamie, Tyler, Mason, Matt, Vicki, Alaric, Jenna, Rose, Trevor, Lexi, Bilbo, and the dwarves were scouring the sides of the Mountain, trying to find the secret entrance.

"Anything?" Damon called up to Alaric.

"Nothing!" Alaric replied back to him. "There's nothing here."

"If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us." Thorin said as he looked at the map.

As the company continued to search for the Hidden Door, Bilbo walks around a bit, and made a sudden stop. He looks up to stare at a massive statue of a dwarf carved into the side of the mountain. Looking closely, he notices a set of stairs built into the statue. "Up here!" He shouted at the group.

Lexi comes up to him. "You have keen eyes, little one." She remarked on the Hobbit.

Minutes later, the company painstakingly make their way up the steep and treacherous steps and find a little rock-walled clearing in the side of the mountain.

Jamie walks to the clearing first. "This must be it." He described the rock-walled clearing. "The hidden door that we've been looking for."

Thorin walks in front of the company and turns to face them happily. "Let all those who doubted us, rue this day!" He said cheerfully as he holds up the key and the others cheer.

"So we have the key." Caroline said, touching the wall. "Which means there's a keyhole."

Elena turns to stare at the sun which is about to set. "The last light of Durin's Day… will shine upon the keyhole." She said, remembering what Lord Elrond said while she was in Rivendell.

"Yeah, I remember that, Elena." Damon said while he gazing at the dwarves that were trying to find the Keyhole.

Nori goes over to the wall and places a glass against it. He uses his spoon to tap against the wall in order to see if he can hear where the hidden door is.

Stefan turns around and sees that the sun is getting lower and lower on the horizon. "Guys, come on." He urged them. "We're losing the light."

Dwalin starts thumping his leg onto the wall trying to locate the hidden door.

"Be quiet." Nori said, sounding irritated. "I can't hear when you're thumping!"

Caroline walks over to the wall and tries to use her good eyes to find the keyhole. "I can't find it." She said to the group. "It's not here!"

Thorin turns around again and saw that the sun was getting closer to disappearing. "Break it down!" He frantically gestured to the other dwarves. Immediately, Dwalin, Gloin, and Bifur smash the wall with their weapons frantically and tried to break it, but there was no avail.

"Come on!" Thorin said frantically.

The dwarves continued to hit the wall with their weapons in tiredness and disapointedness as the sun finally disappears behind distant mountains. The light was gone. Now, there was darkness.

"Oh no." Bonnie whispered. "We lost the light."

"It's no good!" Balin said. "The door's sealed! Can't be open by force. Powerful magic on it."

"No!" Thorin cried out when he stumbles forward and re-examines the old map.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Damon said.

Thorin holds his arms open is disbelief. "But that's what it said." He muttered in disappointment and anger. "What did we miss?" He asked as he walks up to Balin and repeats his question, earnestly and tearfully.

"We must've missed something." Vicki stated.

"We've lost the light." Balin said, looking down in despair. "There's no more to be done."

Everyone bow their heads in despair.

"Well, I guess that means no treasure for us." Matt said.

"What a rotten night." Jeremy muttered to himself in disgust.

Alaric walks over to Thorin and gently placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Thorin." He spoke softly to him. "We had our chance."

"It's over." Jenna said, standing at Alaric's side.

Thorin didn't say one word and turns away in despair. He holds up his key and looks at it, then drops it to the ground, where it clatters.

"Where are they going?" Bilbo asked.

"You can't give up now!" Elena looked beseechingly at Thorin, who throws the map at Bilbo's chest and walks past her.

The rest of the dwarves follow Thorin from behind and begin descending down the stairs to make their way down while Bonnie, Jamie, Damon, Stefan, Elena, Caroline, Jeremy, Tyler, Matt, Vicki, Rose, Trevor, Mason, Alaric, Jenna, Lexi, and Bilbo stay behind.

"We can't just give up." Caroline said, picking up the key that Thorin dropped. "We must've missed something. There has to be keyhole."

"Caroline, we tried and it didn't work." Stefan said in a low voice. "Come on, we're going to head down, wait for Gandalf to come back, and make our journey back home."

As the others were getting ready to leave, Elena holds the map in her hands. She recites the riddle from the map, and started to remember what Lord Elrond said while he was translating the ancient dwarven runes. "Wait, I think we did miss something." She said and stared at the runes. "Stefan, do you remember what Lord Elrond said?"

"He said the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Stefan replied to her question.

"I know, but he also said that we must stand by the grey stone." Elena added.

"She's right." Bonnie agreed. "I remember. When the thrush knocks, the setting sun, and the last light of Durin's Day will shine."

"Well where is the grey stone?" Bilbo asked.

Seconds later, Bonnie, Jamie, Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Jeremy, Tyler, Matt, Vicki, Rose, Trevor, Mason, Alaric, Jenna, Lexi, and Bilbo notice that Elena was actually standing on the grey stone in front of the wall.

"Elena!" Caroline said, looking surprised.

"What?" Elena asked, looking confused.

"Your standing on it." Matt said, pointing his finger at the grey stone.

Elena looks down and gasped. "Oh my god." She whispered in surprise and looks up. "Okay, I'm on the grey stone."

"Now we have to wait until a thrush comes by and knocks." Damon smirked.

The group remains silent for a moment. Then, they began to hear a strange tapping noise. They look down and saw a thrush hitting a snail against the grey wall.

"There it is." Rose whispered in joy.

"What's next?" Jeremy asked quietly.

"The last light of Durin's Day will shine." Elena said, reading the map carefully.

At a split second, Elena, Bonnie, Jamie, Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Jeremy, Tyler, Matt, Vicki, Rose, Trevor, Mason, Alaric, Jenna, Lexi, and Bilbo look up and see the clouds move aside to reveal the moon. As the clouds moved away, the light from the moon beams down to hit the Grey Wall of the Mountain.

"The last light." Caroline whispered in awe and saw that the thrush flew away.

Then, the group saw that the moonlight shines on the keyhole of the hidden door.

"It's the keyhole!" Vicki exclaimed.

"We found it." Elena laughed in relief and delight, pointing at the wall.

"Elena, you did it!" Jenna laughed in delight. "You just solved the clue."

"Guys, quick!" Elena said in a rush. "Get Thorin and the dwarves! Tell them we found it!"

Matt rushed towards the steps. "Guys, come back!" He shouted to Thorin and the Dwarves. "We found the keyhole. It's the light of the moon! The last moon of Autumn!"

Minutes later, Thorin and the dwarves climb back up, and they all then look at the wall where the keyhole is now showing. Caroline smiles and passed Thorin the key. With the key in his hands, Thorin walks towards the Grey Wall and inserts the key into the keyhole and turns it. Hearing the mechanisms are heard turning behind the rock, Thorin pushes the wall, and a previously unseen door opens into the mountain. Elena, Bonnie, Jamie, Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Jeremy, Tyler, Matt, Vicki, Rose, Trevor, Mason, Alaric, Jenna, Lexi, Bilbo, and the dwarves look on in awe as Thorin stands on the threshold.

"Erebor." Thorin whispered in awe.

Caroline felt like she was going to cry when she stared in awe.

"Thorin." Balin chokes up and felt a tear coming down from his right eye.

Thorin puts a hand on his shoulder and steps into the mountain. "I know these walls. These halls. This stone." Then, he runs his hands over the walls, lost in memory. "You remember it, Balin. Chambers filled with golden light."

Balin steps into the tunnel. "I remember." He sniffed cheerfully.

The rest of the Company slowly and reverently enters the mountain. Inside, Mason, Jeremy, Vicki, and Trevor look up at a carving in the wall above the door.

As everyone was inside, Gloin looks up at the engraving on the wall. "Here in lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's folk."He read aloud at the inscription. "May the heart of the mountain unite all dwarves in defense of this home."

Tyler looks at the carving in interest. "The Arkenstone?" He asked in curiosity.

"The throne of the king." Balin explained to him.

Bilbo stares at the engraving of a stone on the throne with light shining around it. "And is that what I think it is?" He asked.

"It is, Bilbo." Balin replied.

"And that, Master Burglar, is why you are here." Thorin said.

An hour after opening the door, Balin, Lexi, and Bilbo walk further into a tunnel which led to the interior of the mountain.

"So you want me to find a jewel?" Bilbo asked.

"A large white jewel, yes." Balin described.

"That-that's it?" Bilbo asked. "Only I imagine there's quite a few down there."

"Nope, I'm afraid there's only one Arkenstone, Bilbo." Lexi stated and smiled at the young hobbit. "You'll know it when you see it."

"Right." Bilbo breathed.

"As a matter-of-fact, I'll leave Lexi to provide the rest for you." Bilbo smiled at Bilbo. "Be brave lad." He turns and walks up the stairs.

"Well, I'm already brave." Bilbo pointed out.

"I know." Lexi chuckled and made a slight sigh. "In truth, I don't know what you will find down there, but you don't have to go down there. There's no dishonor in turning back."

"No Lexi, I promised Thorin that I would do this." Bilbo said bravely. "And I think I must try."

"You know, you've always ceased to amaze me and everyone else in this company." Lexi remarked. "The courage of hobbits. Go now, with as much luck as you can muster."

"Thank you, Lexi." Bilbo admired her words and starts making his way down the steps.

"Oh, and, Bilbo, there's one more thing that I should give you." Lexi said. "It's something that Balin gave me as well. If there is in fact a live dragon down there… try not to wake it up."

Bilbo nods, turns to make his way down again but stops goes to ask Lexi something but sees that she has already walked off leaving him on his own.

As Lexi moves through the hall, she comes face-to-face with Damon and Elena.

"Did he go down?" Damon asked.

"Yep, he's making his move to claim this Arkenstone and unite the seven houses of the Dwarves." Lexi replied.

"Are you sure it's good idea for him to go down there by himself?" Elena asked, looking a bit worried. "What if he gets hurt?"

"Yeah, I should agree to Elena." Damon agreed. "I think it is a bad idea. We're putting an innocent small-folk at risk."

"I hate to disagree, but your right." Lexi said. "However, Thorin instructed his little burglar to do the job."

"Well, you know what I'm thinking." Damon brought up. "One of us should follow him just incase if something happens."

"Good idea." Lexi agreed to his plan.

"I'll go." Elena volunteered.

"Woah. No. No." Damon declined.

"Damon, remember what I said night before we died in that explosion?" Elena asked, giving him a glaring look. "You said to respect your choice and I did. Now, I need you to respect mine."

"Elena, please." Damon pleaded.

"I'll be fine, Damon." Elena promised.

"Little tip, in this part of the world, vampires don't have their super speed." Damon informed her. "If you want to go down there, fine, I won't stop you. But if something terrible happens, try and get yourself and Bilbo out of here as fast as you can. Don't stop, just keep going."

"I will, Damon." Elena said, and kissed him in the cheek and runs down.

"You changed a bit." Lexi said.

"And you hardly spoke in declining the idea in sending Elena down there rather than me." Damon glared at her.

"Hey, this was between you and Elena." Lexi said with her hands in front and walked backwards a bit. "Besides, she made her choice, and I didn't interfere. Come on, let's go. We're going to wait outside once Bilbo and Elena return."

"Hopefully with the Arkenstone." Damon added.

Meanwhile, Bilbo quietly walks through a large doorway and finds himself in a massive hall. He enters the area where all the treasure has been kept for sixty years in the mountain. "Hello?" He whispered out loud. He knocks quietly on the wall beside him, but the sound is intensified loudly as it echoes, and he jumps and presses himself against the wall in shock. Seeing no reaction to the noise, he walks out into the hall on an elevated walkway. "You're not at home. Not at home. Good. Good, good, good."

Suddenly, Bilbo feels a hand touch his shoulder. Bilbo started to gasp until the hand covered his mouth. The hobbit slowly turned and noticed it was Elena. Elena raised her finger in front of her mouth as a sign to be very quiet.

"What are you doing here?" Bilbo asked in whisper.

"I'm making sure you stay safe." Elena whispered back. "Look, let's there's no time to argue, let's find the shining jewel, and get out of here, okay. Okay."

"Okay." Bilbo whispered out loud.

Elena and Bilbo stand on top of the staircase, and make a sudden stop. Their mouths hang open in shock when they saw mountains of gold, jewels, weapons, cups, and all sorts of treasure piled dozens of feet high all throughout the immensely massive hall. Elena and Bilbo climb down the stairs and carefully begin to walk atop the treasure. They try to be quiet, but the coins and jewels beneath them make a lot of noise. While Bilbo pokes around, Elena spends her time looking for the Arkenstone. She finds a large white jewel and examines it. She gently puts it down and continued to search for the one that shines. Bilbo finds a jewel and examines it. He saw that it wasn't the Arkenstone, and carelessly throws it aside, then jumps when it clatters and makes a lot of noise.

Elena gasped when she heard it. "Are you crazy?" She whispered out loud. "Be quiet!"

"Sorry, my mistake." Bilbo whispered in fright.

"Okay, so it's a shining jewel." Elena remembered when she continued to look around and sighed. "Very helpful."

Elena and Bilbo notice that they are surrounded by so much treasure that it would be impossible for them to find one particular jewel out of all of it.

"It could be anywhere." Bilbo whispered.

"Let's just keep looking, and see if we have our luck." Elena whispered from behind him.

Elena and Bilbo spent nearly half-an-hour in searching for the Arkenstone, but there was no luck. Walking up through the to find one particular jewel out of all of it, picks up a golden cup, and this action starts a small avalanche of coins. Elena and Bilbo look up and noticed in horror that the sliding coins fall away to reveal an eye, which is completely shut. It was the eye of the dragon Smaug. Elena and Bilbo quickly jump behind a stone pillar. All is silent, and it seems like Smaug is still asleep. Suddenly, Smaug snorts, and the treasure around his nose falls away, revealing it.

As the two hold hands and quietly sneak away from the sleeping dragon, they stop short when they saw that Smaug's body is buried in a large circle around where he is standing. The gold all along Smaug's body begins to ripple as he awakens. Elena and Bilbo continue to move away until Smaug slowly opens his eye. In a panic, Elena and Bilbo run and dive behind a small hill of gold coins. As Smaug's eye looks around, Elena and Bilbo were a bit frightened, and hoped that the eye didn't see them. When the dragon was getting ready to raise his head, Bilbo sighed and took something out from his pocket. Elena noticed and saw that Bilbo was reaching into his pocket and pulls out a shiny gold ring.

"Bilbo, where did you get that ring?" Elena asked in a whisper.

"Elena, please hold on to me when I put this on." Bilbo urged her.

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked, looking puzzled.

Bilbo didn't have time to reply, and immediately put the ring on, causing both him and Elena to disappear as Smaug arose and begins to sniff through the air. While holding on to Bilbo, Elena noticed that everything around her was like dense smoke. Then, they remained silent as Smaug turns directly in their direction and sniffs through the air.

"Well, thief…" Smaug spoke and took another sniff. "I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel you air."

Bilbo and Elena remained silent, hoping that the dragon doesn't find them while they were invisible. They immediately ducked low as Smaug's quivering throat glided over them. Then, the dragon moves his head back and forth around the place where Elena and Bilbo were invisibly standing. Bilbo felt like he was ready to run.

"Where are you?" Smaug asked as his head was approaching closely to Elena and Bilbo. "Where are you?"

Elena and Bilbo didn't hesitate and they immediately run down the mountain of treasure. Even though they are still invisible, Smaug growled and can see where they are going because of the coins they are dislodging with their feet while running. The dragon rapidly plunged his snout into the gold and went on to Elena and Bilbo, who were still invisible with the magical ring. While the two kept on running to avoid Smaug, Elena saw a pillar nearby and pulled Bilbo with her. They remained silent when Smaug rose out from the treasure.

"Come, now. Don't be shy. Step into the light." Smaug demanded and turned towards Bilbo and Elena's location. "Mmm… there is something about you." He said as he moved around the pillar like a serpent and was now behind Bilbo and Elena. "Something you carry. Something made of gold, but far more… PRECIOUSSSSS."

Suddenly, the word 'precious' reverberates in Bilbo and Elena's head over and over. While they strained in mental pain, they see a flaming eye bursts into their vision. Seconds later, Elena opened her eyes and realized in horror that Bilbo foolishly took off the ring from his finger since he saw the fiery eye too. Now, their attention was directed to the eye of Smaug.

"There you are, thieves in the shadows." Smaug said.

Bilbo was shaking in fear. "We did not come to steal from you, oh Smaug, the Unassessably Wealthy." He stuttered.

"P-Please… we only wanted to gaze upon your magnificence." Elena stuttered as well. "To see if you really were as great as the old tales say. My ancestors and I never believed in them.

Hearing this, Smaug stomps several yards away and draws himself up so his entire body is visible to Elena and Bilbo. Elena and Bilbo step out into the clearing where Smaug stands in front of them. Elena couldn't imagine how massive Smaug was. He had two gigantic back legs, two massive bat-like wings with claws, and both his neck and tail were incredibly long. His head alone was the size of a school bus.

"And, do you now?" Smaug grumbled in a loud echo.

"T-Truly!" Bilbo nodded nervously.

"The tales and songs fall utterly short of your enormity, oh Smaug, the Stupendous." Elena said.

"Do you think flattery will keep you two alive?" Smaug asked.

"No, of course of not." Elena said nervously.

"No, indeed." Smaug said and slowly snakes his head closer to Elena and Bilbo. "You two seem familiar with my name. But I don't remember smelling both of your kind before." The dragon turned his eyes to Elena. "And you, you look human to me." He sniffed her with his nose. "But you don't smell human to me. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"

"My name is… Elena… Gilbert." Elena introduced herself to the dragon. "I come from a different world. I come from Mystic Falls."

"Interesting." Smaug remarked on her words and turned his gaze on Bilbo. "And you?"

Bilbo opens his mouth to speak but then suddenly sees something off to the side. Elena noticed and saw something that was shining under one layer of coins. It was the Arkenstone, described as a small, white gem glowing with an unnatural light.

Bilbo turned his eyes to face Smaug, who was waiting for an answer. "I...I come from under the hill." He stuttered.

"Underhill?" Smaug asked, looking intrigued.

Bilbo nods, and sneaks a peek at the Arkenstone. "And under hills and over hills my path has led." He continued. "And through the air, I am he who walks unseen."

"Impressive, what else do you claim to be?" Smaug asked as he snakes his head forward until his teeth are inches from Bilbo's face.

"I am… the Luck-wearer." Bilbo grimaced at Smaug's breath. "Riddle-maker, Ring-winner, Spider-stinger."

"Lovely titles." Smaug remarked on Bilbo's titles. "Go on."

"Barrel rider." Bilbo said.

"Barrels? Now that is interesting." Smaug said as he snakes his head away from Bilbo and Elena and rose to his full height. "And what about your little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding?"

Elena and Bilbo felt alarmed since they had no idea why Smaug was saying that about Thorin and the Dwarves.

"Dw… dwarves?" Elena pronounced, pretending that she didn't understand what Smaug was referring to. "I'm sorry… oh Smaug the Mighty… but I don't recall in seeing any of these… things… around here."

"S-She speaks the truth." Bilbo stuttered. "You've got that all wrong."

"Oh, I don't think so, barrel rider." Smaug said loudly. "These dwarves send the two of you in here to do their dirty work while they skulk about outside."

"Truly, you are mistaken, oh Smaug, chiefest and greatest of calamities." Bilbo replied.

"You two have nice managers for thieves and liars." Smaug growled while he looked around. "I know the smell and taste of Dwarf. No one better. It is the gold, they are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh."

Elena tries to stealthily walk towards the Arkenstone without drawing attention from Smaug, but Smaug stomps about, and his claws knock the Arkenstone away from where it had been. Elena and Bilbo run after the Arkenstone that was bouncing down the mountain of gold.

"Did you think I did not know this day would come?" Smaug bellowed. "That a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain." The dragon moves around causing Elena and Bilbo to fall down the heap of gold coins.

Outside the mountain, the company hear and feel the rumblings from inside the mountain.

"Wow." Tyler jumped.

"What the hell was that?" Jeremy asked.

"Was that an earthquake?" Vicki asked.

"That, my lads… was a dragon." Balin corrected.

"Oh boy." Mason muttered to himself.

"Elena." Damon whispered in horror when he stared at the entrance. "She's in trouble."

"Bilbo must've woke the dragon up." Lexi claimed.

"So what do we do?" Matt asked. "We can't just stand here, we gotta do something."

"We can't." Thorin replied.

"But what about Elena… and Bilbo?" Damon asked loudly.

"Just give them more time." Thorin answered.

"Time to do what exactly?" Lexi asked, looking shocked. "To be killed?"

Thorin turns to face her. "You're afraid." He said.

"Yes, I'm afraid." Lexi nodded. "As a matter of fact, we're all afraid."

"Thorin, my niece is down there with Bilbo." Jenna said unhappily. "We're not going to just stand here and wait for the dragon to kill them."

"Thorin, she's right." Balin agreed. "I'm afraid too… and I fear for you. A sickness lies upon that treasure horde. A sickness which drove your grandfather mad."

"I am not my grandfather." Thorin argued.

"Well, your simply not acting like yourself." Stefan pointed out. "Look at you, your declining us from not going in there."

"I will not risk this quest for the life of one burglar." Thorin said.

Lexi stares at Thorin with a glaring face. "Bilbo." She spoke softly. "His name is Bilbo, and he's not just a burglar that does your work for you. He is our friend."

Thorin began to hesitate, and went on to decide to do the right thing.

"I'm not going to stand here and wait for my sister to be killed." Jeremy said as he walked pass Thorin. "I'm going in there."

"Right behind you little Gilbert." Damon agreed and gave Thorin a glare. "You can stay here if you like, but we're not. We're going to save Elena and Bilbo."

Back inside the mountain, Smaug turned around and continued to search for Bilbo and Elena while speaking. "The King Under the Mountain is dead." He growled. "I took his throne, I ate his people like a wolf among sheep."

Elena and Bilbo burst out of a pile of gold beneath Smaug's claw and run down a staircase, and leap off the side as Smaug's head swings at them. As the Arkenstone bounces rapidly down the mountain of gold, Elena and Bilbo slide rapidly after it with Smaug in pursuit.

"I kill where I wish, when I wish." Smaug continued. My armor is iron."

When Elena and Bilbo slide under a covered stone structure, Smaug opens his wings and glides down to land atop the structure.

"No blade can pierce me." Smaug claimed. "Not even a black arrow could pierce my tenfold shields. Girion, the lord of Dale, is dead, and I killed most of his people while the rest fled away like rats. Where are his sons' that dare approach me?" Then, Smaug paused and sniffed through the air again. "It's Oakenshield." He continued to sniff and recognize the scent of the Dwarven prince. "That filthy dwarvish usurper. He sent you in here for the Arkenstone, didn't he?"

Smaug circles around the structure while Elena and Bilbo hide beneath it and try to reach the Arkenstone at the other end of the structure.

"No, of course not, we have no idea what your talking about." Elena said, pretending to lie, as she and Bilbo start to sneak over to the Arkenstone, but were forced to hide behind a pillar when Smaug looks beneath the structure.

"Don't bother denying it." Smaug exclaimed. "I guessed his foul purpose some time ago. But it matters not… Oakenshield's quest will fail. The darkness is coming. It will spread to every corner of the land."

"Darkness?" Elena asked. "What darkness are you talking about?"

"The Darkness that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur is casting." Smaug explained. "Once he gathers his strength, he will send his legion to take power over the mountain."

"Who is the Necromancer?" Bilbo asked.

"The Necromancer is a being of pure darkness." Smaug continued. "He is the one who created the sickness which drove the King under the Mountain mad, and when that happened, my master sent me to reclaim the mountain as a reward and I would wait silently for him to gather his full strength. Besides, why would Oakenshield send the two of you here rather than doing it himself?"

"I don't understand what you mean." Elena said.

"You two have been used, thieves in the shadows." Smaug said. "Such a pity. You two were only ever a means to an end. The coward Oakenshield has weighed the value of your lives and found it worth nothing."

"No, that's not true." Elena refused to believe Smaug's words about Thorin. "You're lying! Thorin is strong, and he's not a coward."

"Really… Elena? Then what did he promise you?" Smaug asked. "A share of the treasure? As if it was his to give. I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it!"

At that moment, Elena and Bilbo, hearing that Smaug is on top of the structure, seek the Arkenstone lying a few feet away from the structure and make a run for it, but Smaug sees them and whips his tail, sending Elena, Bilbo, and the Arkenstone flying. Elena and Bilbo tumble and land against a pillar while a rain of gold falls down on them.

"My teeth are swords! My claws are spears!" Smaug described viciously about his teeth and claws. "The shock of my tail is a thunderbolt!" He swiped a pillar with his tail. "My wings are a hurricane!"

As Smaug stomps in front of Elena and Bilbo and displays his wings open to their full length, they noticed a scale from the dragon's chest was missing. Then, Elena began to remember what Balin and Bain said while she and the company were in Lake-town. It was the spot in Smaug's chest that Girion had managed to pierce him with his Black Arrow, but failed to slay the beast.

"I don't believe it." Bilbo whispered to himself.

"So it is true." Elena whispered to herself while staring at the spot in Smaug's chest. "The Black Arrow found its mark."

"What did you say?" Smaug exclaimed.

"Oh nothing, I just said that your reputation proceeds you." Elena continued to lie.

"Indeed, as a matter-of-fact… you have no equal on this earth, oh Smaug… the Tyrannical." Bilbo nervously.

Elena and Bilbo slowly back up and they are standing in a bare, open spot where Smaug faces them. Suddenely, Elena and Bilbo look down and saw that the Arkenstone was lying just a few feet from them.

"I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer." Smaug sneered. "Watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad."

Elena and Bilbo exchange looks, and refused to believe what Smaug was telling them.

"I don't believe you." Elena glared at the dragon.

"You can decline my words if you like little girl." Smaug grinned as he begins to rear his head. "However, I think our little game ends here. So tell me, little thieves." The dragon's chest began to glow red inside. "How do you two choose to die?"

Smaug's head streaks forward, jaws open, to eat Bilbo and Elena. However, Bilbo was quick to grab Elena's hand and puts the ring back on to allow them to disappear and run out of there when Smaug's jaws close on empty space. Angrily, the dragon raises his head again, and the glow from his chest travels up his neck; roaring. He bellows out a massive wall of flames over the area in which Elena and Bilbo were standing. Unseen by him, Bilbo and Elena continue to run while Smaug rages about, blowing fire and destroying pillars. Bilbo took off his Ring as he and Elena run back up the stairs

"You're alive!" Thorin remarked.

"Not for much longer." Bilbo panicked.

"Did you find the Arkenstone?" Thorin asked them.

"Thorin, there's no time to talk, the dragon is coming!" Elena exclaimed.

"The Arkenstone!" Thorin asked loudly to them and spoke softer. "Did you find it?"

"No, we were this close in getting it, but we lost it when the dragon awoke." Elena explained.

"Look, we have to get out of here before the dragon kills us." Bilbo informed.

As Bilbo takes a step to leave, Thorin suddenly slammed his sword against the opening, preventing him and Elena from leaving. Then, he points his sword in front of him and Elena.

"Thorin… what are you doing?" Elena asked, looking worried of what Thorin was doing to her and Bilbo.

Suddenly, Lexi comes down and noticed. "Thorin, put the sword down." She pleaded, but ignored her words. Then, Lexi began to remember what Balin said about a sickness that lied in the treasure which drove Thorin's grandfather mad. "Thorin, you are succumbing to the sickness. Don't let it take you."

"Thorin, listen to her." Elena pleaded as Thorin continued to hold the sword in front of her and Bilbo. "Thorin… please… we're your friends."

Thorin keeps his sword pointed at Elena and Bilbo looking at them threateningly, but that was when Damon already came and grabbed Thorin's sword. Damon stared at him, and had no idea why Thorin was pointing the sword at Elena and Bilbo. Suddenely, the five turn to face something that was appearing out from the pillars. It was Smaug, who gazes at Thorin with his blazing yellow eyes. Then, Bonnie, Jamie, Stefan, Caroline, Jeremy, Tyler, Matt, Vicki, Rose, Trevor, Mason, Alaric, Jenna, and the other dwarves arrive with their weapons open when the dragon stomps towards them and roars in fury.

"YOU WILL BURN!" Smaug roared.

"Come on!" Damon shouted.

Just as Smaug bellows fire at them, the company turn and jump off the staircase. They tumble down the pile of treasure and land near the entrance to another tunnel, which they run into. Angrily, Smaug breathes fire in all directions. Thorin, the last one in the door, is pushed in by the force of the flames. He runs into the room at the other end of the tunnel with the back of his coat on fire, and he throws himself on the ground and rolls to extinguish the flames. He jumps back up.

"Come on, let's go." Thorin ordered.

The company continued to run while Smaug roared in fury.


	14. Chapter 14

Back in the Lake-town at Bard's house, Doctor Meredith Fell tries as much to find something to heal the wound in Kili's leg. Oin and Bofur were quite busy trying to find some things to be useful.

As Kili continues moaning, Meredith fills a bowl with hot water and rushes to him. "I need herbs, something to bring down his fever." Meredith said quickly.

"We have nightshade and feverfew." Bard added.

"There has to be something powerful to get rid of this fever." Meredith said.

"I don't get it." Luke spoke out while sitting down. "An arrow shoots into Kili's leg, and then he gets sick, which is considered strange."

"I think the arrow must've been… a Morgul Arrow." Fili guessed.

"What's a Morgul Arrow?" Elizabeth asked.

"A Morgul Arrow is an arrow that contains the venom from the ancient Morgul-knives from Mordor." Fili explained. "They are very deadly."

"Venom?" Liv exclaimed.

"We need to hurry." Meredith started to panic. "There has to be some-kind of medicine that can rid of this poison…" She touches Kili's forehead, and noticed the temperature increased. "… and this fever."

Elizabeth turned to face Bard. "Bard, do you any type of medicine that is useful to get rid of poison?" She asked the bowmen.

"Not that I'm aware of." Bard answered.

"Well, this nightshade or feverfew is not helpful to us." Meredith said in disgust. "They're no use to me."

"What about Kingsfoil?" Oin asked. "Do have any of those?"

"No, it's a weed." Bard explained. "We feed it to the pigs."

"Pigs?" Bofur said to himself as he gets an idea. "Weed? Right." He turns to Kili, who was riddled in pain. "Don't move."

"Uh, he won't." Liv said and turns to Luke. "Luke, you go with him."

"But I don't know what Kingsfoil looks like." Luke said as he drank a cup of warm water.

"Luke, there's no time for you to sit around and do nothing while we are busy trying to save a patient." Liv exclaimed. "Now, go with Bofur and help him out."

"Whatever." Luke sighed in disgust and left the house with Bofur.

After Bofur and Luke left in search of pigs and Kingsfoil, Meredith, Elizabeth, Liv, Oin, Fili, Bard, Bain, Sigrid, and Tilda suddenly feel the earth shake, making the house rumble.

"Sounds like an earthquake." Elizabeth guessed.

"That's not an earthquake." Bain answered. "It's coming from the mountain."

"The dragon?" Liv guessed. "They must've woke it up."

Meredith and Fili continue to hold on to Kili, who was starting to yell from his pain.

"I warned Thorin that if he woke that beast, it will destroy us all." Bard sighed.

"We need to warn everyone in Lake-town about this." Elizabeth informed. "We need to evacuate." She turns to Bard. "Bard, you pack up, take your children, and get out of town before its to late."

"And go where?" Bard asked gently. "There is no where to go."

"There has to be a place where you and your family can go." Liv believed. "If you and everyone else in this town stays here, your all going to die."

"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda asked, looking frightened.

"No, darling." Bard promised. "No one is going to die."

"The dragon, it's going to kill us." Tilda continued to look frightened.

Bard looks at his children worriedly for a moment, then reaches up and pulls a black arrow, the last of the three that Girion had in Dale, from where it had been hidden as a drying rack for plants.His children look at the arrow in shock.

"What is that?" Elizabeth asked.

"This… is the last arrow of Girion." Bard replied. "If the dragon attends to burn our town, I won't let that happen." He turned to Bain. "Bain, come with me."

Meredith, Elizabeth, Liv, Fili, Oin, Sigrid, and Tilda remained at Bard's house and continued to help Kili, who was crying out in pain by the poison. Suddenly, a door flew open, and it was Bain.

"They got him." Bain informed them. "The guards just arrested Da."

"What?" Liv asked, looking shocked.

"Oh what charge?" Elizabeth asked.

"Any charge that the Master choses." Bain answered.

"This is insane." Elizabeth said, feeling disgusted. "The Master has no right to arrest someone without any reason. I'm going over there to speak to him."

"No, if you there, they'll arrest you too." Bain warned.

"They can try, but what you don't get kid is… I'm a Sheriff." Elizabeth revealed. "No one is allowed to arrest a Sheriff who does there job."

Outside in Lake-town, Bofur and Luke continue to find the weed that was the only medicine that you could save Kili.

"There's got to be Kingsfoil somewhere." Luke said.

"There." Bofur pointed to a pig eating some weeds.

"Is that what I think it is?" Luke asked.

Bofur grabbed a couple of these weeds. "This is kings foil." He answered. "Come on, we need to get back."

"Right behind you." Luke said.

After finding the Kingsfoil, Luke and Bofur turn to get back to Kili.

Meanwhile, back at Bard's house, Sigrid leans over the balcony outside the front door, looking for her father. Suddenly, she heard a noise. "Da? Is that you, Da?" She called out for her father, but she looks around and couldn't see him.

Inside the house, Elizabeth is getting ready to leave Bard's house.

"Bain, you come with me." Elizabeth insisted.

"Okay." Bain complied.

"Wait, what was that?" Liv asked when she heard a noise. She looks up at the ceiling. "It's coming from the roof."

"I can hear it too." Elizabeth said. "Sounds like someone is walking on top of the roof."

As Sigrid turns to walk back inside, an Orc drops on the balcony behind her. She screams and slams the door, but the Orc stops it with his sword. Hearing the screams, Meredith, Elizabeth, Liv, Fili, Oin, and Bain gasped and jumped up.

As Bofur and Luke hurry back to Bard's house, they made a sudden stop when they heard a scream.

"What was that?" Bofur asked.

Luke looks up. "Look out!" He yelled as he pushed Bofur out of the way when an Orc leaps at them from above. Bofur falls backward and drops the Kingsfoil while Luke grabs hold of the Orc's axe.

At the house, another door opens and and Orc strides inside. Elizabeth grabs a pot and throws it at its head, causing the Orc to fall backwards into the water. Before Elizabeth could rush outside, another Orc breaks through the roof and falls down on Elizabeth. Elizabeth grabbed the Orc's knife and stabbed it in the knee, causing the Orc to yell in pain. Meredith and Oin threw a stack of plates at two Orcs that were just about to come inside the house while the first orc at the door swings at Sigrid, at she falls backward onto the table benches. She slides under the table and pulls the bench sideways next to her as a shield. Before the Orc could try and crawl under the table, Liv grabbed her sword in time and slashed the Orc before it could harm Sigrid. As another orc falls in through the roof, Tilda throws a plate at it, then Sigrid pulls her under the table as well.

"Get down!" Elizabeth shouted after she slashed an Orc.

Another Orc comes down from the roof to attack Bain, but Bain pushes the bench at it, knocking it over. Then, Bain grabs a sword from a dead Orc and slashed the Orc when more Orcs jump in through the roof. Meredith turned and saw one that was approaching to Kili, who was still lying in bed.

Outside, Luke continues to hold on to the axe, but the Orc shoves him away while Bofur crawls away to hide. Luke grabbed a wooden plank to fight the Orc, but the warrior slashed the wooden plank out of Luke's hand. The angry Orc raises its sword to finish Luke, but is suddenly skewered by an arrow through its chest and falls over dead. Luke grabs the Kingsfoil and by surprise, he noticed that the person who killed the Orc was revealed to be Lianna.

"Lianna!" Luke said, looking surprised to see her. "What are doing here?"

"Don't you know?" Lianna asked. "We're here to help."

Back at the house, Sigrid and Tilda hold on to each other under the table, screaming as a number of Orcs were invading Bard's house. Liv and Elizabeth try to protect the girls as much as they can, but several Orcs grab them and were ready to kill them. Just as another Orc leaps to the balcony in front of the house, Tauriel appears in front and stabs it in the throat with her knife. She pulls out her other knife as well, and begins killing the Orcs in the house. Legolas jumps in through one of the holes in the roof. He too begins killing Orcs that were all around the house. When one of the Orcs grabs Kili by the wounded leg, Meredith tries to save him, but Tauriel throws her knife and it plunges into the Orc's throat. Legolas and Tauriel slay Orcs left and right. As one Orc runs at Bain, Fili grabs Bain.

"Get down!" Fili shouted by forcing him down.

Tauriel kills the Orc, then turns to kill another one, but that was when Kili stabs the Orc as well with the knife Tauriel had thrown earlier, and they together kill the Orc. But then, Kili falls over onto the floor, howling in pain, and Tauriel looks down at him in worry.

As many Orcs were getting slain, an Orc named Fimbul, serving as Bolg's lieutenant, flees from the house and jumps over the balcony, landing in a boat in the water below and turns to Bolg, who is striding toward the house..

"Ekinskeld. Obguranid!" (_Oakenshield has gone!_) Fimbul yelled to his leader in Black Speech.

Bolg growls in disgust. "Gur! Arangim!" (_Fall back! Regroup at the bridge!_) He yelled to all his remaining Orcs in Black Speech.

In the house, Legolas stabs an Orc and trips it, and it falls backward over the balcony railing and lands in the boat below. The boat acts like a seesaw and sends Fimbul, who had jumped into the boat earlier, flying up into the air, where Legolas slices off its head with his knives. As the orc's body falls into the water below, Legolas releases the head and it falls. The elf prince looks and sees the remaining Orcs retreating and fleeing Laketown with Bolg.

Bain looks around and couldn't believe his eyes. "You killed them all." He said to Tauriel amazedly.

"There are others. Tauriel, come." Legolas beckoned as he strides toward the door.

Tauriel, who had been looking after Kili, looks up and watches Kili when Meredith, Elizabeth, and Liv.

"We're losing him!" Meredith exclaimed.

Tauriel, looking shocked, looks at Kili, then at Legolas, who is waiting at the door.

"Tauriel!" Legolas looks at her for a moment and then walks out the door and jumps over the balcony and onto a bridge, then begins running.

Tauriel looks away and begins to head out the door to follow Legolas. Just as she reaches the door, Kili moans in pain, and Tauriel turns to look at him. Tauriel looks after Legolas, then at Kili again. Hearing a noise, Tauriel grabs her knives, then sees Luke and Lianna run up with the Kingsfoil.

"Athelas." Tauriel whispered when her eyes open in shock and takes the leaves from Luke's grasp. Then, she reverently examines it. "Athelas…"

"Uh, excuse me, but what are you doing?" Luke asked.

"I'm going to save him." Tauriel replied.

Hoping to save Kili, Tauriel rushes in the house to help Meredith, Elizabeth, Liv, Luke, Bofur, Fili, and Oin to heal Kili's wound. While Meredith, Fili, Elizabeth, Bain, and Luke pick up a moaning Kili and lay him on the table and try to hold him down, Tauriel washes and tears apart the Kingsfoil in a tub of water held by Tilda.

"Hold him down." Elizabeth ordered.

Tauriel approaches with the bowl of water and examines Kili's wound. Seeing how black and festered it is, she looks away in worry. As the others look on, Tauriel closes her eyes and begins to speak in Elvish while she kneads the soaked Kingsfoil in her hand, then presses it to Kili's wound. "Menno o nin na hon i eliad annen annin, hon leitho o ngurth." (_May the blessing that was given to me be sent from me to him, may he be released from death._) She chanted in elvish.

Kili screams and thrashes in pain, and Sigrid jumps in to help hold him down. "Tilda!" She calls her sister to come help as well.

While Tauriel continues chanting, Fili, Luke, Liv, and Bain look at her strangely. Elizabeth and Meredith listen in amazement, as well as Oin who was listening through his fairly dented hearing trumpet. As Tauriel continued to chant in elvish, Kili started to calm down as he felt the pain been lifted. In his hearing, it seems as though Tauriel's voice has become echoing and all-encompassing. To his vision, she appears to start glowing like a star.


	15. Chapter 15

In the great city of Erebor, everything is quiet and dark altogether as Thorin and his company emerge out of a tunnel and approach a stone bridge over a chasm. Thorin raises his hand and quiets the group.

"Quiet." Alaric whispered.

The company walks near the foot of the bridge and Thorin peers around the edge of the tunnel, looking for any sign of Smaug.

"We've given him the slip." Caroline whispered.

"No, he's too cunning for that." Stefan whispered next to her.

"So where to now?" Vicki asked quietly behind Thorin.

"The western guardroom." Thorin whispered back to her. "There may be a way out."

"Well, that's comforting." Rose sighed in relief.

"Thorin, it's too high." Balin whispered behind Thorin. "There's no chance that way."

"It's our only chance." Thorin whispered. "We have to try."

"I'll stick with Thorin's plan." Matt whispered from behind.

"Me too." Jeremy whispered.

"Come on, let's go." Trevor beckoned quietly.

Quietly, they all tiptoe across the bridge, looking all about. Suddenly, a coin falls to the floor right in front of Bilbo and rings loudly. Everyone freezes in shock and look at Bilbo, who frantically checks his jacket to see if some coin had been stuck in a fold. Hearing another coin fall, they look up and see Smaug crawling just above them, looking for them. The coins that fell came from his chest and arms, where several coins and gems have embedded themselves after years of him sleeping on them. Stefan motions for Elena, Caroline, Jeremy, Bonnie, and Matt to keep moving.

Eventually, the Company managed to cross the bridge unseen and run through a hall where they would soon emerge in the western guardroom. Upon arriving, they all stop abruptly when they see that the guardroom is full of rotted, dust- and cobweb-covered corpses.

"That's it, then. There's no way out." Dwalin said in disgust.

"It seems like a landslide or something has blocked the exit." Alaric described when he saw that the exit was blocked.

"The last of our kin." Balin explained when he stared at the rotted corpses of male and female dwarves altogether. "They must have come here, hoping beyond hope."

"We could try to reach the Mines." Bonnie suggested. "We might last a few days."

"No. I will not die like this." Thorin refused. "Cowering, clawing for breath." He turns to face the company with a brave face. "We make for the forges."

"He'll see us, sure as death." Damon pointed out.

"Not if we split up." Thorin added. "The dwarves and I will make for the forges while the rest of you can try and lead him to the forges."

"Thorin, we'll never make it." Bonnie informed with a worried look on her face.

"She's right." Mason said. "We might not survive."

"Some of us might." Thorin believed. "We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together."

Meanwhile, while Thorin, Balin, and the rest of the dwarves were taking a different path to make for the forges, Elena, Damon, Caroline, Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy, Vicki, Matt, Tyler, Mason, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Jenna, Alaric, Lexi, and Bilbo were given full instructions on where to go and lead the dragon Smaug to the forges. Hoping to stick with the plan, Stefan, Caroline, Bilbo, and Lexi run out onto the bridge from earlier, hoping to get the dragon's attention.

"This way!" Stefan beckoned.

Suddenly, the four make a sudden stop when they heard a booming sound that came from nearby, and Smaug appears.

"Flee, flee! Run for your lives! There is nowhere to hide." Smaug growled as he goes at the four.

"A dragon-head." Vicki shouted. "Behind you!"

Smaug turns to spot Vicki, Matt, Jeremy, Bonnie, and Jamie who were running on another bridge and yelling to distract Smaug. The dragon growled and stared at them for a couple of seconds, then he lunges toward them. As Smaug chases Vicki, Matt, Jeremy, Bonnie, and Jamie, Stefan, Caroline, Bilbo, and Lexi to run continue across the bridge. That was when Rose, Trevor, Alaric, Jenna, Elena, Damon run across another bridge.

"Hey you!" Rose yelled at the dragon.

"Come get us you big ugly snake." Trevor yelled.

Smaug turns and jumps at them, but the six of them run off the bridge and flee into the tunnel just before Smaug's claw lands where they were. Then, Tyler and Mason us this chance to run across a bridge and make it into a tunnel as well. Angrily, Smaug blows fire after them. He blows rapidly in an arc all around him, into all the tunnels. His fire causes the stones beneath Tyler and Mason to glow in heat.

"Come on, Tyler." Mason yelled.

Mason and Tyler reached a cliff and leap into the air, landing in large troughs which they slide down. Then, they land in the buckets of a large hanging conveyor belt system used in the past for mining.

Meanwhile, Stefan, Caroline, Bilbo, and Lexi run through a large hallway. Eventually, Lexi turns into a side tunnel with Bilbo while Stefan continues forward.

"It's this way! This way! Come on!" Lexi shouted quickly to Caroline.

Caroline stops by the tunnel. "Stefan!" She called out to him, who was still ahead.

Stefan turns and begins to go back to Caroline, Bilbo, and Lexi, but stops suddenly. The four see Smaug at the end of the hallway.

"Follow Lexi and Bilbo!" Stefan yelled at her.

"Stefan, no!" Caroline yelled back.

"Come on!" Lexi yelled as she and Bilbo pull Caroline into the side tunnel just as Smaug's chest glows orange and unleashed a wave of fire throughout the hall.

Stefan runs the other way and leaps into the air, falling into a deep pit. He catches onto a chain with a bucket at the end of it, and it begins descending just as Smaug leaps into the pit as well. Smaug claws his way down the tunnel, snapping at Thorin on the chain.

Alaric runs up to the mouth of the pit and noticed. "Stefan!" He yelled as he grabbed an axe and smashed into the machinery holding the chain Stefan is holding on to, and the chain stops descending abruptly.

Beside Alaric, a heavy holding bucket on the other end of the same chain begins descending rapidly, causing Stefan's chain to fly upward. Stefan soars upward, narrowly missing Smaug's head. The dragon turns and manages to grab the end of Stefan's chain, stopping its movement. Smaug pulls down, at the machinery holding the chain at the top of the pit breaks free of its moorings and falls into the pit. Stefan suddenly falls and lands right on the tip of Smaug's closed mouth. He stands on dragon's top lip as he growls and opens his mouth. Just as Smaug snaps prepares to snap his mouth, Stefan leaps to the side and grabs another chain. Smaug turns to bite him, but the falling machinery strikes him in the face. Jenna, at the top of the pit, hits another machine, and its gear spins rapidly, pulling Stefan on his chain rapidly upward. Smaug roars and blows smoke straight up the pit after Stefan. Stefan manages to reach the top and throw himself on a ledge just as the fire erupts beside him. He stumbles over to Jenna.

Meanwhile, Elena, Damon, Caroline, Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy, Vicki, Matt, Rose, Trevor, Jamie, Jenna, Alaric, Lexi, and Bilbo were the only ones that managed to regroup with Thorin and the Dwarves in front of several massive dwarf furnaces, each at least 10 yards high.

"Where's Mason and Tyler?" Caroline asked.

"I don't know." Alaric replied.

"Well, let's hope they're alright." Matt said.

"The plan's not going to work." Jenna said.

Dwalin stares at the massive dwarf furnaces. "These furnaces are stone cold." He informed them.

"He's right; there's no fire hot enough to set them ablaze." Balin said.

"Look, we gotta hurry." Jamie exclaimed. "We stay here, we're all going to be sitting ducks."

Damon stared at the are all dark, with no sign of fire within. Then, he smirked, showing a sign of an idea. He turns back toward the pit. "Hey, Smaug the Mightly! I'm sorry… I did not look to see you so easily outwitted!" He taunted.

"Damon, what are you doing?" Elena asked.

Lexi grinned and realized what Damon was doing and joined in. "You have grown slow and fat in your dotage." She taunted the dragon.

Smaug turns around and snarls at them in anger.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Damon teased. "Did we hurt your feelings, your worthless… little slug."

As Smaug snarls and advances, Thorin gets behind a pillar. "Take cover. Go!" He yelled at the others to do the same.

The company rush behind pillars just as Smaug unleashes his flame at them. The fire goes past the pillars and reaches all the way to the furnaces. As Smaug stops, fire suddenly comes out of the bottoms of the furnaces, and they begin glowing and working. Smaug growls in confusion and anger. Then, the company run from the pillars as Smaug begins battering at them with his head.

"Bombur! Gloin! Matt! Vicki! Get those bellows working. Go!" Thorin yelled at them.

"Right!" Matt shouted back.

Bombur, Gloin, Matt, and Vicki run and leap onto a chain next to a forge. The chain slides down with their strength, and land on the handle of a massive bellows. The bellows compress and blast air into the furnace, which exhumes bright blue flames. On top of the furnaces is a massive pile of unrefined gold, at least 10 yards in diameter.

Thorin turns and sees the latticework continue to bend from Smaug's bashing. "Bilbo! Lexi! Stefan! Elena! Up there, on my mark, pull that lever." He yelled as he pointed at a largelever high up on a mound.

"Come on, let's go!" Elena shouted.

Elena, Bilbo, Lexi, and Stefan run towards the lever while the others run toward the forges as the latticework begins to break. Under the force of Smaug's onslaught, the latticework finally gives way and falls to the ground. Smaug storms into the furnace room and begins walking toward Elena, Bilbo, Lexi, and Stefan, who were clambering up some steps and reach the lever mounted high on the tower. Smaug raises his head to look at them, but then he paused and looks to the side and sees Thorin standing there.

"Now!" Thorin yelled.

Elena, Bilbo, Lexi, and Stefan jump into the air and together they pull down on the lever just as Smaug lunges towards Thorin. Huge jets of water burst out of carved faces in the wall behind Elena, Bilbo, Lexi, and Stefan and slam into Smaug, knocking him off balance and quenching the flames. Smaug slides into the side of a furnace from the force of the water, and the glow in his chest disappears. Roaring in rage, Smaug flaps into the air and begins thrashing about madly. The jets of water cause a watermill to begin turning some gears, which causes the various rope conveyor belts to begin operating.

Bombur, Gloin, Matt, and Vicki continue going up and down on their chain, pumping the bellows and turning the furnace fire blue. Atop the furnaces, the solid impure gold begins to glow and melt. Smaug begins crawling toward Thorin again. Above him, Mason and Tyler have arrived on the bucket conveyor belt. As Elena, Bilbo, Lexi, and Stefan begin to climb down the mound, Smaug approaches Thorin. Suddenly, there is a flash of blue light on the side of his head. Balin, Ori, and Dori are throwing flash-flame bombs at Smaug. However, Smaug is not at all fazed by them and continues toward Thorin. Above Smaug, Mason raises his axe and cuts the rope of the conveyor belt full of heavy rocks below him, dropping tons of rocks on Smaug and making him fall to the ground, roaring.

While the gold atop the furnaces is completely melted now, Thorin runs over to a furnace and pulls on a chain, opening a gate which allows the molten gold to flow out of the furnaces and through troughs built into the ground. Smaug, tangled in the ropes of the conveyor belt, thrashes about and hits the rope of the conveyor belt Mason and Tyler were in, breaking it and knocking it to the floor. Thankfully, the two miraculously land on the ground unhurt. Beneath Smaug, rivers of molten gold flow through the troughs on the floor.

Thorin turns and begins running. "Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" He shouted back at the others.

As Smaug thrashes about, one of the heavy metal buckets tangled on him goes flying toward Elena, Bilbo, Lexi, and Stefan on top of the mound. Together, they duck, and the bucket misses them, but takes large chunks out of the wall.

Thorin grabs a wheelbarrow and runs while pushing it, dodging Smaug's thrashing limbs. Smaug's tail smashes into the base of the mound, cracking it and worrying Bilbo. Thorin throws the wheelbarrow into a channel of gold and leaps into the wheelbarrow; it floats on the gold and is carried along. Seeing this, Smaug roars and whips his head around, finally getting rid of the ropes and buckets tangled around him. He stomps over to a small entrance at the base of the mound where all the troughs of liquid gold join and lead out of the room. Before he can get to Thorin, Thorin on his wheelbarrow floats through the entrance, just as the mound collapses.

Eventually, Bilbo, Elena, Stefan, and Lexi managed to regroup with Damon, Matt, Vicki, Alaric, Jenna, Jamie, Bonnie, Jeremy, Trevor, Rose, Caroline, Tyler, and Mason. Together, they run through a through a doorway and into a massive hall adorned with banners hundreds of feet tall. Just as they run in, the wall above the doorway explodes as Smaug jumps through it. Bilbo, Elena, Stefan, Lexi, Damon, Matt, Vicki, Alaric, Jenna, Jamie, Bonnie, Jeremy, Trevor, Rose, Caroline, Tyler, and Mason run frantically from the flying rocks, but were caught beneath the cloth of a falling banner and knocked to the floor. They all managed to get out of the banner when Smaug leaps to the floor.

"You think you could deceive me, Barrel-rider?" Smaug shouted angrily at Bilbo and then stares at the rest of the group behind the Hobbit. "You all come from Laketown." Then, he starts talking to himself, and his voice breaks in both anger and fear. "There is- is some sort of scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable cup-trading Lakemen. Those sniveling cowards with their longbows and black arrows! Perhaps it is time I paid them a visit." Smaug turns away from the group.

"Oh, no." Damon gasped.

"This isn't their fault!" Bonnie yelled.

"Wait! Please! You cannot go to Laketown." Elena pleaded loudly.

Hearing this, Smaug stops for a moment, then turns toward Elena. "You _care_ about them, do you?" He asked. "Good. Then you can watch them die." He turns and strides off down the hall. Suddenly, a voice sounds from one end of the hall, where there is a massive stone structure that looks roughly like a dwarf.

"Here, you witless worm!" Thorin yelled insultingly at the dragon.

Smaug stops in his track, snarling and squinting in anger. He then turns toward Thorin. "You." He growled at the dwarf prince.

"I am taking back what you stole." Thorin shouted.

Smaug slowly stalks toward Thorin. "You would take nothing from me, Dwarf. I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men. I am King under the Mountain." He taunted as his head is level with Thorin now while Bilbo, Elena, Stefan, Lexi, Damon, Matt, Vicki, Alaric, Jenna, Jamie, Bonnie, Jeremy, Trevor, Rose, Caroline, Tyler, and Mason watch from an adjoining hall.

"This is not your kingdom." Thorin exclaimed. "These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge."

Unseen by Smaug, there are chains attached to various places on the back of the stone dwarf structure Thorin is standing on, and the ends of these chains are held by the other dwarves. As Thorin speaks, Smaug's chest and neck glow with fire, and Thorin slowly reaches up toward a rope above him. Just as Smaug opens his mouth, Thorin yells in Khuzdul.

Thorin yanks on the rope, and a pin behind the stone falls out, releasing heavy wooden bands and chains that had been wrapped tightly around the stone. Smaug rears his head in confusion while the other dwarves pull mightily on their chains, and more pins similar to the first are pulled out of the stone. The stone structure, which is now revealed to be the mold into which the liquid gold from earlier poured into, falls apart and reveals a massive statue of a dwarf king, made entirely out of solid gold. Thorin swings away on a rope to escape the falling rocks. Smaug looks at the golden statue, which is even larger than him, in awe and desire. As he approaches it, his mouth opens slightly in greed.

Suddenly, the gold around the statue's eyes warps and then explodes into liquid. The gold in the statue had not yet fully solidified, and the entire statue collapses and explodes into burning hot liquid. Smaug roars in anger as the statue melts, and scrabbles backward to escape the gold. However, he cannot move fast enough and the tidal wave of gold hits him and knocks him over. As he roars, he is entirely smothered and drowned in the gold, which fills the entire hall in a layer several feet deep.

As the gold settles, the surface of the golden lake explodes and Smaug leaps out, covered in gold. "Ahh! Revenge!" He screamed in anger and pain. "Revenge! I will show you REVENGE!"

As everyone look on in shock, Smaug runs down the hallway and takes off in flight. Outside the mountain, the side of the mountain breaks as an enraged Smaug smashes his way out from the great doors of Erebor that were completely shut. He flaps his wing and lifts off into the sky, spinning and causing the remaining gold on him to fall off in a golden shimmer.

"I am fire. I am...DEATH!" Smaug spoke to himself as he soars through the air toward Laketown.

Watching him fly away, Bilbo, Elena, Stefan, Lexi, Damon, Matt, Vicki, Alaric, Jenna, Jamie, Bonnie, Jeremy, Trevor, Rose, Caroline, Tyler, and Mason run out of the destroyed gates of Erebor and climb up some ruins. There, they look on in shock.

"Oh my god." Bonnie whispered to herself in shock. "What have we done?"


End file.
